Exploring cultures and communities – the slow way

Les Marolles is a place of smoky bars, tiny shops and rich dialects. hidden europe alights from the train at Brussels' Gare La Chapelle to explore the city's most intriguing district.

article summary —

Few are the rail travellers to Brussels who do not pass through the decaying train station at La Chapelle. It is a station that everyone sees. But it is a place where few travellers alight. Yet the Gare La Chapelle is in the heart of one the most interesting areas of the Belgian capital. hidden europe descended from a slow train there at dawn on a cool October morning, and as the train rattled off into the tunnel under the Mont des Arts, we found ourselves entirely alone on the graffiti covered platform.


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About the authors

hidden europe

and manage hidden europe, a Berlin-based editorial bureau that supplies text and images to media across Europe. Together they edit hidden europe magazine. Nicky and Susanne are dedicated slow travellers. They delight in discovering the exotic in the everyday.

This article was published in hidden europe 12.