"Oudergem" Auderghem by Sjalen

I lived in Auderghem for more than four years and whilst it is a bit on the quiet side compared to other parts of Greater Brussels, it is a nice enough "commune". The reason we moved here was to get closer to my office and still be along a metro line, but we also found that we got a lot closer to the vast Foret de Soignes, if indeed Brussels can be said to have a forest - by Swedish standards it is far too civilised to be a real forest but as a Sunday outing it was perfectly adequate both for biking and walking.

Still, I would not move back here today if I returned to Brussels. It simply lacks the restaurant life and shops I see as the benefits with a capital city. The main thoroughfares have a bit of life but nowhere near that of Ixelles and similar. At the same time it lacks a distinct "village centre" to focus around such as in neighbouring Watermael-Boisfort which is also very green and has its vegetable market. Just like it, Auderghem is a primarily residential place with a solid middle class population, here and there with more expensive villas, especially as you approach the forest.

• Pros:green, yet with a metro
• Cons:a bit too quiet
• In a nutshell:Pensioners and surreal metro art