The Haut de Saint-Gilles, a trendy and welcoming area

Some call it Les Hauts de Saint-Gilles, others Le Haut de Saint-Gilles, but whatever the name, its location remains exceptional. Close to the Châtelain district, the centre of Brussels and Avenue Louise, it is also only 10 minutes by metro from the Gare du Midi. With its typical Art Deco facades, its small village-like streets and its local shops, it has a bohemian atmosphere that is very popular with the French.

Welcome to Saint-Gilles and more precisely to the Haut de Saint-Gilles, not far from Altitude Cent and Wiels! A lively, commercial district with a lively nightlife. Restaurants, bars, but also art galleries and green spaces, we take you to discover this urban and bobo district.

A beautiful architectural heritage

To begin our visit, we will meet you in the south-west of the district, opposite the town hall of Saint-Gilles. If you take this tour on a Monday afternoon, you will have the chance to stroll through the market alleys and even have an aperitif. Admire the façade of the town hall, a neo-renaissance building whose foundation stone was laid in 1900. It was at this time that the urbanisation of the district began in accordance with strict urban planning rules. This gives the Hauts de Saint-Gilles a rare architectural unity in the capital.

Continue westwards towards the Châtelain district. The buildings have taken over from the wastelands. Today, the beautiful bourgeois buildings in Art Nouveau style give character and cachet to the streets near the Ma Campagne crossroads. Take the opportunity to visit the beautiful Horta Museum and admire the buildings of renowned architects such as Paul Hankar or Paul Hamesse.

Trendy addresses in the Hauts de Saint-Gilles

Small art galleries, friendly restaurants, festive bars, shops… the Haut de Saint-Gilles is full of good addresses.

Head for the chaussée de Waterloo for an aperitif at the café La Pompe, located in a former service station. If you are on the Place Albert side, you can enjoy a glass of wine or a beer at the Bar du Matin. On the Chaussée de Charleroi, the rooftop of the Jam Hôtel houses, in addition to its swimming pool, one of the trendiest restaurants in Saint-Gilles.

You can’t leave Brussels without trying the best shrimp croquettes in town! For this, go to Fernand Obb in the rue de Tamines. Do you prefer Italian cuisine? Order a pizza at the Bottega de la Pizza, the best pizza in Brussels! Fancy a vegetarian meal? Then go to Café des Spores, a restaurant specialising in mushrooms, or Momo’s, a well-known vegetarian restaurant. And this is just a glimpse of the flavours to be discovered in the district: Thai, Japanese, Lebanese, Portuguese, French, there is no shortage of good restaurants!

Parks and gardens in Saint-Gilles

As you wander around, discover the green spaces of the district. At Place Morichar, you can skateboard, rollerblade or even scooter. Do you want to relax? Go to the Pierre Paulus park, a small bucolic park. For your jogging, we recommend the Forest Park, which is located to the south-east of the Saint-Gilles town hall.

 

• Take a walk near the Town Hall and admire the Art Deco facades
• Have a drink on the rooftop of the Jam Hotel
• Discover new artists at the Templon gallery or at Damien and the Love Guru
• Visit the Horta Museum
• Eating shrimp croquettes at Fernand Obb
• Find a vintage armchair at Dandelion or Caravan Studio on the Alsembergstraat
• Get advice on herbs and plants at Louise’s herbalist shop
• Enjoy a quiet moment in the Pierre Paulus Park
• Take a dip in the Victor Boin municipal swimming pool
• Skateboarding on the Place Morichar