Quartier Marolles
Quartier Marolles
4
Tours & experiences
Explore different ways to experience this place.
Full view
Top ways to experience Quartier Marolles and nearby attractions
The area
How to get there
- Lemonnier • 7 min walk
- Munthof • 7 min walk
Reach out directly
Best nearby
Restaurants
4,074 within 3 miles
Attractions
638 within 6 miles
Contribute
Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.0
170 reviews
Excellent
42
Very good
76
Average
38
Poor
9
Terrible
5
Alex David
London, UK220 contributions
Aug 2019
I visited the Marolles Flea Market in the Place Jeu de Balle at the end of August 2019. The market is easily accessible in a square midway between the Brussels Midi Station and the Palais de Justice (do use Google maps to orient yourself as there are several roads leading up to it.) It was a Friday morning and the place was fairly busy with vendors spread all over the square. In many respects this is an average flea market with just a few quirks thrown in: piles of clothes laid on the pavement, a bunch of broken up dolls all stacked together, a few mannequins creatively displayed. It is no different from many other flea markets you will find in Europe, from London to Palermo. In one respect, however, it was very different: the dozens of photo albums and hundreds of personal photos laid out on the pavement for sale.
It was very unnerving to see all these images from individual lives packed in cardboard boxes, or in some cases just strewn on cobblestones, being sold to strangers. What became of these people's lives? It was very obvious that many of the items being sold, including these photos, came from house clearances following someone's death. It made you think how alone these people must have been when they passed away not to have anyone in their lives to collect their photos before their belongings were given away. What made it even more heartbreaking was that some of the photo albums on sale were lovingly hand-decorated and annotated with personal memories: now they were being skimmed and passed over quickly by strangers looking for something valuable to buy for a bargain. I felt like buying all these photos to rescue them from the trashbin where a lot of them were likely destined to end up.
I understand that sights like these are common to flea markets all over the world, but the sheer numbers of the albums and photos for sale made Marolles a very sad, memorable experience for me. If you ever visit this market, do me a favor: buy just a few photos to honor the lives of the people whose memories are lost there. But for the grace of God, that could happen to any of us.
It was very unnerving to see all these images from individual lives packed in cardboard boxes, or in some cases just strewn on cobblestones, being sold to strangers. What became of these people's lives? It was very obvious that many of the items being sold, including these photos, came from house clearances following someone's death. It made you think how alone these people must have been when they passed away not to have anyone in their lives to collect their photos before their belongings were given away. What made it even more heartbreaking was that some of the photo albums on sale were lovingly hand-decorated and annotated with personal memories: now they were being skimmed and passed over quickly by strangers looking for something valuable to buy for a bargain. I felt like buying all these photos to rescue them from the trashbin where a lot of them were likely destined to end up.
I understand that sights like these are common to flea markets all over the world, but the sheer numbers of the albums and photos for sale made Marolles a very sad, memorable experience for me. If you ever visit this market, do me a favor: buy just a few photos to honor the lives of the people whose memories are lost there. But for the grace of God, that could happen to any of us.
Written February 24, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Lee
London, UK23 contributions
Aug 2024 • Family
Guide books will take you to the junk market, but much more enjoyable is the wider area/vibe around the market and right up Haute Hoog to the central area. Loads of independent cafes, vintage stores, Nick nacks and art/ethnic shops. Like London’s Camden market back when it was cooler.
Written August 4, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
TWP64
London, UK371 contributions
Apr 2014 • Couples
You'll either love this area or hate it. If you are interested in flea markets, little independent cafes and bars, galleries, and retro shop after retro shop, you can spend several hours happily wandering around. Given the number of new shops and galleries around, I suspect this is a very up and coming area of the city. It's a great way to observe local life.
Written April 26, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Yuri S
Haifa, Israel6 contributions
Oct 2017 • Business
I am probably not 'a flea market connoisseur' type person, but still went to visit what was all the fuss about and mainly was disappointed. The flea market is what it is - a flea market with most of the vendors showcasing their sell either on the ground or very few stands. After wandering there for an hour-hour and a half I didn't see a lot worth buying and those things that I'd buy were priced anything but cheap, that is with some price reduction for being used but not far away from a such item being sold as new in the shops anywhere.
What I did not like and was disgusted about was the dirt at the place. There was urinal surrounded with panes and it was overflowing with (you guess) - urine all over the place right at the square. Also some clearly not so sober persons were doing their needs out in the public, brrr. Certainly I am not going to visit this nor recommend it.
What I did not like and was disgusted about was the dirt at the place. There was urinal surrounded with panes and it was overflowing with (you guess) - urine all over the place right at the square. Also some clearly not so sober persons were doing their needs out in the public, brrr. Certainly I am not going to visit this nor recommend it.
Written February 22, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
neminskii
Singapore, Singapore1,033 contributions
Jun 2017 • Couples
This neighbourhood was part of the City Sightseeing Bus tour. We arrived at this place around 4+ in the evening. All shops were closed, except for grocery stores. There were people hanging around the streets just staring at other people and us. Didn't get a good vibe of this place and felt a little unsafe. Didn't stay long as a result.
Probably have to visit this neighbourhood earlier in the day when the flea market is open I guess.
Probably have to visit this neighbourhood earlier in the day when the flea market is open I guess.
Written July 1, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
PeterEleveld
Olst, The Netherlands234 contributions
Mar 2014 • Couples
There is a great Flea-market in this area (Vossenplein) , it's on every day from 7 am -14 pm. Also the surrounding streets are packed with antique and second-hand shops.
Written April 1, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
sacha p
London, UK22 contributions
Aug 2012
Les Marolles is a lively and bohemian area of Brussels, with lots of shops selling all sorts of stuff, from simply old to some times antique (if you can recognise the difference), mainly furniture, chandeliers, china, asian sculptures and small decorative objects. There is plenty of small bars and restaurants. The flea market is the key attraction of les Marolles during the WE.
Written August 19, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
LisaK_511
Brussels, Belgium161 contributions
Apr 2012
There are two sides to the Marolles: the quirly and fun side with the art galleries and the antique shops and the dingy, grimy side where I would fear parking my car. My advice: stay on the side of the Sablon and avoid the Rue haute
Written June 24, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
superpido
vicenza34 contributions
May 2014 • Couples
IT is one of the few places left in the capital where you can experience real life as it was in the old times.
go to place of the jeau de balle..stroll at the market, then go to eat at le clef d' or and there try a croquue madam with a draft leffe blond ..you'll go back in time..
go to place of the jeau de balle..stroll at the market, then go to eat at le clef d' or and there try a croquue madam with a draft leffe blond ..you'll go back in time..
Written May 28, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jean-Paul N
Brussels, Belgium23 contributions
Here you can meet the original people from Brussels with their typical Brussels dialect, go for a drink in one of the local cafés.
Written April 21, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Bonjour le parent à Monsieur Boris Moura on en a aucune nouvelle est-ce que vous pouvez nous en donner parce que ses parents son papa et sa maman merci beaucoup mon téléphone 33 07 66 09 24 46
Written January 30, 2020
Showing results 1-1 of 1
Is this your Tripadvisor listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim your listing