Abbé Froidure Regional Park

Abbé Froidure Regional Park is a small, intimate public garden straddling the boundary of two municipalities in the Brussels-Capital Region — Forest and Ixelles. It occupies an entire elongated city block enclosed by Avenue Brugmann, Avenue Haut-Pont, and Rue Darwin and Rue Franz Merjay, giving it a narrow, rectangular footprint with two entrances on opposite ends.

Where does the park's name come from?

The land now occupied by the park once belonged to Baron Raoul Richard, whose estate included a grand mansion and a garden stretching all the way to Rue Franz Merjay. In 1986 the Brussels-Capital Region purchased the property, and the park opened to the public in 1991. It was named after Abbé Édouard Froidure, founder of the well-known Belgian charity Petits Riens, in recognition of the close friendship between him and the baron's son — a personal connection that shaped the choice of name for the newly created green space.

What does the park look like, and what makes it distinctive?

The garden's design reflects a contemporary approach to landscape art: geometric shapes, crisp lines, and a disciplined layout of paths contrast with the mature trees preserved from before the site's transformation. A central walkway lined with flowering shrubs and neatly trimmed hedges forms the backbone of the composition, giving the whole space the feel of a formal, curated garden rather than a wild patch of greenery.

A particular natural highlight is the presence of three trees officially listed among Brussels' remarkable trees: a horse chestnut, a sycamore maple, and a silver maple. Their age and size indicate that mature greenery existed on this plot well before the regional park was formally established — landscape architects deliberately preserved them within the new design instead of clearing the site for a uniform layout.

Where are the park's entrances?

The park has two main entrances on opposite sides of the block. The western entrance opens onto Avenue Brugmann, within the municipality of Forest. The eastern entrance leads onto Rue Franz Merjay and Place Léon Jacquet, on the Ixelles side. This layout allows the park to double as a pedestrian shortcut between two busy streets while still offering a quiet break from urban bustle.

Who is this park best suited for?

Given its modest size and intimate character, Abbé Froidure Park is better suited to a short stroll, a bench break, or a green shortcut between neighborhoods than to a full day out. It is mainly appreciated by residents of the surrounding streets looking for a nearby patch of nature, away from the heavier tourist traffic typical of Brussels' larger, more central parks.

Frequently asked questions

Is the park open to everyone? Yes, as a regional park it is freely accessible to all visitors year-round.

Where does the park's name come from? From Abbé Édouard Froidure, founder of the charity Petits Riens, honored due to his friendship with the family that previously owned the property.

What is worth seeing in the park besides greenery? Three trees recognized as remarkable trees of Brussels — a horse chestnut, a sycamore maple, and a silver maple — along with the geometric layout of paths and hedges typical of contemporary garden design.

How do you reach the park? Through the western entrance from Avenue Brugmann (Forest) or the eastern entrance from Rue Franz Merjay and Place Léon Jacquet (Ixelles).