Often regarded as an artificial collection of parts put together in any old way, Belgium still presents some homogeneity. Indeed the North and the South of the country, shaped by their geography and their role in history, show different faces.
Former principality and heir to a glorious past, which peaked in the 19th century, when it was one of the main industrial centres in the world, Liège, also known as "La Cité Ardente" (the Ardent City), struggles to live up to its past, despite its numerous assets.
With a rich history reflected in its magnificent heritage, Antwerp, the second largest city in the country, has for centuries sustained the dynamism of its port, the second largest in Europe, under the shadow of its cathedral's tower.
Centre of the European trade in the middle Ages and under the Dukes of Burgundy, Bruges is steadily emerging from the long lethargy which made it a living museum. Appointed European Capital of Culture it capitalises on its status.
And let us not forget the countless treasures that Belgium abounds in: vast wild and wooded expanses, small villages with ancient golden stones, abbeys and castles bearing witness to a rich and eventful past, towns of art, both large and small, home to a peaceful beguinage here, a richly decorated cathedral there...
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"With a sky so grey that a canal hung itself, with a sky so grey that we must forgive it" sang Jacques Brel. Fortunately, the sky isn't always grey in Belgium. And if these few photos are, it is above all to focus on the beauty of the places, on the magic of the atmospheres...
