A room with a view: the Altitude 100 neighbourhood

You might know Forest for music venue Forest National, or the jail, or, if you’re a car lover, the Audi factory. But this Brussels commune is a green one too, with six large parks. It’s also rather hilly, reaching a hundred metres above sea level. From that highest point, called Altitude 100, you have an amazing view of Brussels. Thirty-four-year-old graphic designer Jean-Yves Leblon (also known as Jyl) got to know the neighbourhood four years ago when his employer moved to a mansion overlooking Parc de Forest. “The area had to grow on me,” he admits. “It’s very residential, but there are a few great spots to go during my lunch breaks.”

When looking for something to eat, Jyl can go left or right. A few minutes to the left and he arrives at Place de l’Altitude 100, where the Art Deco church of Saint-Augustin attempts to divert his attention from the quest for food. “One of the places I used to visit a lot for lunch is l’Union fait la Faim (15 Avenue Everard), a small place with lots of fresh food,” Jyl says. “You can compose your own salad, or have their homemade soup or sandwiches. To make you even more at home, you can even choose the music yourself by putting your favourite record on the old vinyl player.” The Forest branch of the popular Brussels brasserie chain Le Schievelavabo is on the Place (at number 8). The name means ‘wonky sink’, which is an insult in the Brussels dialect that roughly translates as ‘something’s not right with you’. This brasserie serves Brussels classics such as stoemp with sausages and américain with frites. If Italian is more your thing, Jyl recommends Cosi Com’è (3 Place de l’Altitude 100) for homemade pasta and stone-baked pizzas.

To the right of Jyl’s office, there’s more: “Bar du Matin (172 Chaussée d’Alsemberg) is the most popular place in the area,” he says. “The bar takes up the whole corner of the square and is never empty, with hipsters sipping coffee and working on their laptops in the morning and lots of hungry people around lunchtime. The salads and sandwiches are served in glass jars, and taste even better on the terrace. The electric-blue tables are a bit small, though.” Slow food eatery Ah Bon (148 Chaussée d’Alsemberg) also gets high scores from Jyl. “Everything is organic and/or Italian. You’ll have to wait a while for your sandwiches though – I guess you really can call it slow food,” he laughs, adding that “a sandwich shop where you can quickly grab lunch would be a nice addition to the area.”

When he’s taking a long lunch break, Jyl loves to browse through the photography books at Husson (142 Chaussée d’Alsemberg). “The shop opened a while ago, but it is only open in the afternoon. In my spare time, I work as a photographer under the name Pixeleyes, shooting concerts in Brussels, so I enjoy flicking through the arty books and postcards at Husson.” But for Jyl, the real gem is hidden in a newsagents. “I was after a chocolate bar and popped into Press & Café (2 Avenue Albert),” he says. “I immediately saw the big vintage Italian coffee maker and ordered a cappuccino to go. Honestly, it was the best I’ve ever had. I’ve been buying my coffee there ever since.”

Although he works between Altitude Cent and Albert, could Jyl ever live there? “Compared to the hustle and bustle of the city centre, it’s too residential for me,” he says. “There is always something going on at Bar du Matin, though – gigs, movies, parties. Plus, the neighbourhood is well-connected to other areas.” For instance, it’s only a short walk to Place Brugmann and its fancy shops and bars, or to Place Van Meenen in Saint-Gilles, with its Monday evening market packed with food stalls. “I often walk down to Parvis de Saint-Gilles for an after-work drink with friends,” Jyl says. “Or even further down to Potemkine bar in Porte de Hal; it only takes 15 minutes and it’s all downhill, which is perfect after a long day at work."

Essential info

Property

You’ll find beautiful stately (and often listed) mansions around the park, with smaller townhouses up Place de l’Altitude 100 and around Albert. Renting a two-bedroom apartment costs from €800 per month. To buy, the price per square metre averages out at €2,300 according to Immoweb

Public transport

Buses 48 and 54 stop at Albert, as do trams 3, 4 and 51. For Villo! rental bikes, walk down to Place Van Meenen

Meet the neighbours

Forest is a very multicultural commune, but around Altitude Cent you’ll mainly find French-speaking Belgian families, as well as some expats

In & around Altitude 100

Saint-Augustin

Catholic church built in grand Art Deco style. Place de l’Altitude 100

Press & Café

Newsagents shop with excellent coffee. 2 Avenue Albert

Parc de Forest

At 13 hectares, this landscaped city park (and, as the name suggests, former forest) is one of the biggest in Brussels

L’union fait la faim

Fresh salads, sandwiches and soups. 15 Avenue Everard

View of Brussels

From the top of Avenue Jupiter you can see the city skyline

Jyl says: “Many people only know the neighbourhood because of Bar du Matin, but there is more to discover, such as the pretty houses and the big park. The area regularly sees the opening of new shops and eateries, which will make it more lively.” 

Photo by Sander de Wilde