Keen on Place Keym

Place Keym was named after Eugène Keym (1861-1920), an alderman of Watermael-Boitsfort’s town council who did everything he could to keep its inhabitants safe during the First World War. Many years later, the Keym square at the heart of the commune still oozes peace and quiet. With a butcher, a baker, and a candlestick maker (well, a hardware store), the area is particularly popular with older people, including many who have lived in the area all their lives. There are also a number of expat families in the area as the European schools are nearby.

Four years ago, 35-year-old Catherine Herremans moved with her family from Luxembourg to a street just off Place Keym. Even though the Grand’Place is only 10 kilometres away, both squares could not be more different. The former is imposingly beautiful and full of visitors, the latter is charming and quiet. Quiet but not boring, however, as Place Keym offers enough variety to keep the locals busy. “If you have children, you’ll never run out of things to do,” Catherine says. “There’s Espace Delvaux, our cultural centre, which shows movies and theatre plays and comes with a great library and a ludothèque with all sorts of games. The Keym square itself is lovely for younger kids. It’s paved with what looks like half globes, which are perfect for climbing!” 

For another preferred spot for kids, walk down Rue Gratès (a lovely street with pretty houses and little front gardens) until you see one of the commune’s most popular playgrounds. “Kids have fun with the swings, the slide, the carrousel and the sand box, while the parents enjoy a chat on one of the benches. I love that there’s always someone to play with or talk to,” Catherine says. “When the younger kids leave, the youths from the area often come to the playground with tables and chairs for a picnic. That’s something I never saw in Luxembourg.”

You don’t have to be a child to have a good time in the area; foodies are also well-served. Local butcher Lieven (25 Place Keym) gets his meat from a small farm somewhere in Flanders, and picturesque looking bakery Bairin (22) is said to sell to best croissants and bread in the area. “I love the organic eatery and grocery shop Chez Josy (15),”Catherine says. The place opened about two years ago, and got its name from owners Joëlle and Sylvie. “My children’s favourite on the square is ice cream parlour Capoue (52). It opened last summer and had all the kids from area queueing on hot days.” Le Klepto (63 Drève du Duc) is a tiny, old-fashioned Belgian restaurant with good food and great value for money. Both brasserie Les Zievereirs (2 Rue des Cèdres) and La Brasserie de Watermael (91) have a pretty good reputation too. The last one is located in the rather dated shopping centre on the square but the food is supposed to be divine. “You’ll find a supermarket and a few convenient clothes shops in the mall,” Catherine says. 

Besides being convenient and child-friendly, the area is remarkably green as well. “Bois de la Cambre and Forest de Soignes are not far off,” Catherine says. “Parc de la Héronnière is great too, with its ponds and ducks, deers and all sorts of other animals.” If you’re planning a walk in the neighbourhood, you might want to visit Le Logis and Floréal (www.vivreafloreal.be). These two garden cities were built between the two world wars and gather identical-looking working class houses. For a longer hike or a bike ride through the amazing greenery of the area, follow the Route Forest de Soignes. It’s a fifty kilometer tour taking you from Watermael to Braine l'Alleud via Hoeilaert and Waterloo, part of the famous Green Belt around Brussels. You’ll come across some signs close to the Parc de la Héronnière.

Essential information

Public Transport

Buses 17, 41 and 95 all have a stop at Place Keym, so does the N08 Noctis night bus. There’s a Cambio car share point as well, and Watermael train station which connects Brussels with Namur.

Property

Houses are quite small, but usually come with a garden. Price per square metre starts at €2300. Renting an apartment with two bedrooms easily costs €1000 a month, according to immobrussels.be.

Meet the neighbours

 A good mix of Belgians and Eurocrats (British, German and French), as the International School of Brussels is nearby  and the Eccole Européenne in Uccle and the International Primary School in Ixelles aren’t far off either. 

In and around Place Keym

Chez Josy

Welcoming organic café and deli offering fresh fruit juices, soup and other treats. 15 Place Keym

Parc de la Héronnière

This park is great for spotting wildlife. For more info on walking and biking in the Green Belt, go to www.toerismevlaamsbrabant.be and search for ‘Zoniënwoudroute’.

Lieven

Popular local butcher, ideal for picking up roast chickens, charcuterie and BBQ fare. 25 Place Keym

Espace Delvaux

'Ciné apéro' (a movie and a drink on Wednesdays), an exhibition or a performance? See the website for the agenda of cultural centre Espace Delvaux. 3 Rue Gratès

Catherine says: “ With the playgrounds and parks nearby, the area is very relaxed and green. There’s a great interaction between the locals, making you feel like you’re part of a community, rather than an anonymous inhabitant. Although there are lots of busses, a metro station closer-by would make traveling elsewhere easier. The nearest metro station Beaulieu is 15 minutes by foot.”

Photos by Ottomura