Hobbies
Come and discover new horizons: a quiet or a vivifying atmosphere in the
countryside or in the forest, the turbulent air of the sea or the
eccentric life of the city.
In Belgium, you can spend your time relaxing or you can gain knowledge,
practice sports or just meet new people. You can discover ancient
places or you can go to out of the ordinary exhibitions. There are many
different possibilities in such a small country. In order not to waste
any time, you will find a list of the main activities that you will
come accross in Belgium.
reading
Belgium has a long tradition in publishing: this goes from booksellers
(specialized in rare or old books) to modern bookshops (small, general
or specialized stores) and second hand booksellers. You will find books
at all sorts of prices to suit travellers, book lovers, and art or
thriller amateurs. Let's not forget to mention the famous village of
Redu (Province of Luxembourg) also known as the book village.
You can also consult or borrow one or more books from communal, provincial, university or private libraries.
You need to be aware of the different regulations as regards borrwing or
reading books in libraries as these can vary from one library to
another. You will get additional information from your library.
You will find their addresses in the white pages, section "bibliothèque"
(library). Telephone directories can be found on the following
www.infobel.com/belgium.
Don't forget that the Infor Jeunes and JIP centres can help you find information (www.inforjeunes.be [FR] and www.jips.be [NL, FR, EN]).
cultural and artistic activities
Should you wish to know more about these activities, you should:
- look out for folders and advertisements that are distributed in mail
boxes. The local newspaper that is handed out free also gives local
information
- listen to the radio and watch TV programmes (Télétourisme, Javas
on
RTBF and Agenda on RTL TVI) which, regularly, announce exhibitions and
concerts.
- read the newspaper: nearly all the daily newspapers have a column
regarding cultural activities. The main francophone newspapers have a
supplement in which you will find the major events with dates and
venues. Some magazines specialized in radio and TV programmes also have
a supplement in which you will find such information (Mosquito in the
TéléMoustique). Ask the assistant in the paper shop for other papers
with this type of information.
Below is a list of some of the venues in Belgium:
- National theatre of Wallonia Brussels Community: +32 (0)2 203.41.55
- The cultural centre of Mons: +32 (0)65 39.59.39
- Jean Vilar theatre in Louvain-la-Neuve: +32 (0)800 25.325
- Palais des Beaux Arts in Brussels: +32 (0)2 507.84.44
- Palais des Beaux Arts in Charleroi : +32 (0)71 31.44.20
- Royal Opera of Wallonia: +32 (0)4 221.47.20
- Monnaie in Brussels: +32 (0)2 229.12.00
- Botanique in Brussels: +32 (0)2 218.37.32
- Forum in Liège: +32 (0)4 223.18.18
- Ancienne Belgique in Brussels: +32 (0)2 548.24.00
- Beursschouwburg in Brussels: +32 (0)2 550.03.50
- Singel in Antwerp: +32 (0)3 248.28.28 or +32 (0)3 244.19.20
- Vooruit in Gent: +32 (0)9 267.78.20
- Sportpaleis in Antwerp: +32 (0)70 345.345 or +32 (0)3 326.10.10
- Auditorium Abel Dubois in Mons: +32 (0)65 31.16.58
sporting activities
Practicing sport is very important in Belgium. Of course, the first sport is football but there are also other sports.
It would be too long to mention all the leagues and federations that are
recognized in Belgium. Should you wish a particular address, contact
the Belgian Olympic and Inter-federal Committee (COIB - BOIC).
The golden pages phone book will help you find a sports centre to play
tennis or indoor football, a squash court or even a climbing wall.
Keep in mind that you can find the phone book on the following website
[FR, NL].
Don't forget the Infor Jeunes/JIP centres that are also at your disposal for
help in your research. Infor Jeunes has a digital databank specialized
in leisure and holidays
[FR, NL, EN].
§
BOIC Belgian Olympic and Inter-federal Committee
[FR, NL]
The Points Verts Adeps / Bloso (
Authorities for Physical Education and Sport)
The ADEPS (authority for physical education and sport in the French
Community) and BLOSO (in the Flemish Community) organize sporting
events for the public. The Points Verts of the ADEPS is a great
example for demonstrating Sports for All.
The Points Verts are meeting points where you can practice at your own
pace, an open air activity of your choice, which is, of course,
organized in a fun but serious way. You will find these meeting points
in different parts of the French Community.
Different possibilities are available:
§
You can choose to walk 5.10 or 20 km
§
Orientation walk: start at a certain point and arrive at another using chosen pathways, a 1/25 000 map and a compass
§
Cycling trips of 10. 20 or 40 km
§
Cross country cycling on 10 km circuits
§
Allure libre (or jogging) on given tracks of +/- 10 km ;
§
Running and cycling
Paper shops sell the Points Verts guides and you will find the dates of events on the ADEPS website.
§
ADEPS
[FR]
§
BLOSO
(NL, EN)
Cinema
Most big Belgian towns have a reasonably good cinema. Nowadays, they have more than one projection room.
The address of the cinema closest to you can be found in the phone directory or on
[FR]
Look in the newspaper, phone or go to the cinema to find out which films are being projected.
Access to certain films depends on your age. In Belgium, the Belgian Board of
Film Classifications identifies the age of the public that can watch a
film.
- "enfants admis" (children admitted): for all publics of all ages
- "enfants non admis" (children not admitted): for over 16s
- "interdit au moins de 18 ans": for people over 18.
Some
cinemas have special prices for screenings before 2 PM. Students can
also have a price reduction if they present their student card or
reduction card (for further information, inquire at the reception
desk).
For cinema fanatics:
- Petits Déjeuners du cinema: watch a film while drinking coffee or tea and eating a few croissants.
- Important cinema festivals:
Caméras aux jeunes
Festival of animated stories and cartoons
Festivals of Brussels, Mons, Huy, Antwerp, Gent, Namur
-
The Belgian Royal Cinematheque and its Cinema museum project mute films
accompanied by the piano and other more recent films. There are also
exhibitions and guided tours organized.
§
Musée du Cinéma et Cinémathèque royale de Belgique
Palais des Beaux-Arts
Rue Baron Horta 9
1000 Bruxelles
Tel: +32 (0)2 507 83 70
Music and dance
There are many different types of musical events in Belgium.
Young people should contact the Fédération des Jeunesse Musicales of the
french-speaking Community and the Federatie van Jeugd en Muziek in
Flanders (federations of youth orchestras).
The following contacts will provide you with further information as regards music camps and dances organized by the Communities.
§
French-speaking Community Head of Culture Youth service Music and Dance service
Boulevard Léopold II 44
1080 Bruxelles
Tel : +32 (0)2 413 23 11
§
Federatie van Jeugd en Muziek in Vlaanderen (Federation of youth orchestras in Flanders)
(NL)
§
Fédération des Jeunesse Musicales de la Communauté française (Federation of youth orchestras in the French Community)
[FR]
§
Ministerie van de Vlaamse Gemeenschap - Administratie voor Cultuur (Ministry of the Dutch Community, Culture Department)
www.wvc.vlaanderen.be/cultuur/
Discs, cassettes and videocassettes
Just like books, you can buy discs, cassettes and videocassettes in shops, specialized shops or in supermarkets.
You can borrow a disc for a reasonable price from a local library in
Flanders (if it is equipped with a media library) and from the Media
Library of the French-speaking Community.
From the Media Library you can borrow discs, compact discs, music and videocassettes.
A nominative registration with such a library is for life and you can
borrow an item for just 15 from any Media Library in the network.
Record libraries have a great selection: jazz, classical, folkloric, language courses
Video
libraries have recent films, classics, musicals, art, ecology,
history, medical, general interest videos, etc. and the collection
"Education pour la santé" (health education).
The Media Library is present in Brussels, Louvain-la-Neuve, Mons, La Louvière, Charleroi, Namur, Liège, Seraing and Verviers.
For other towns, a disco bus has a fixed weekly itinerary.
Addresses
and the opening hours of these centres can be found via the Media
Library of the French-speaking Community or via the DISCOBUS.
§
Médiathèque de la Communauté française - Administration centrale
[FR]
§
Médiathèque de la Communauté française - DISCOBUS
Direction des services mobiles de Wallonie et de Bruxelles
[FR]
§
Medienzentrum der Deutschsprachigen Gemeinschaft
Hookstr. 64
4700 Eupen
Tel: 087/ 55 55 51