Sunday is considered a day of rest, especially in the Christian faith. And though the religious roots of a holy day have lost relevance today, preserving peace and quiet on Sunday remains deeply embedded in Belgian culture. Because of this, some activities are forbidden (or frowned upon).
It's sometimes difficult to complete all household tasks during the busy working week, making the weekend the perfect time to get things done. While Sunday may seem like the perfect occasion to do them, this is not recommended or allowed in some cases. To avoid upsetting neighbours, here's what you can (and can't) do on a Sunday.
Mowing the lawn
With the splendid sunshine and milder temperatures, people's gardens are coming to life, making the spring a prime time for lawn mowing. It is a popular claim in Belgium that this is not allowed on Sundays, but is this just an urban myth?
Rules on mowing lawns on Sunday vary between municipalities. In all 19 Brussels municipalities, the use of lawnmowers and other motorised gardening equipment on Sundays and public holidays is prohibited. On other days, they may not be used between 20:00 and 07:00.
This was laid down in a decision by the government of the Brussels-Capital Region as part of the QUIET.BRUSSELS plan, which aims to improve the quality of life of its residents by taking action against noise.
Credit: Belga/ Bruno Fahy
Around 40% of communes in Wallonia and Flanders also prohibit mowing on Sundays, with pretty high fines that are indeed issued. But another 40% allow you to mow on any day of the week, including Sunday.
Around 20% of municipalities only allow mowing at certain hours on Sundays and other public holidays, for example, between 10:00 and 12:00.
Exceptions are also often made for people living in remote, but this should technically have the permission of the mayor. A growing number of households have quiet "robot" mowers. These can be used at any time.
Construction and DIY
Public construction work is not allowed at night, on Saturdays, Sundays or public holidays in most places in Belgium. However, contractors can request a derogation from this timetable, subject to certain conditions. However, Sunday is an official day off for construction employees, therefore no work may be done on this day. It is not permitted to ask a contractor to work on Sundays or public holidays.
This does not apply to private individuals carrying out work in their homes themselves. In this case there are no limits to the number of hours they can work on their home or when work can be carried out. However, there are rules about the type of work you are allowed to carry out at that time.
Installing insulation can be done on a Sunday if no noise is involved. Credit: Belga/James Arthur Gekiere
Noisy tasks like drilling or grinding are out of the question, but you can paint, plaster or install electricity. The hours during which activities using jackhammers, cement mixers or electric saws, for example, cannot be carried out can be found in the police regulations of the municipality or city where the construction site is located.
Generally, this is the case between 22:00 and 07:00 but again, some police regulations also contain rules for Sundays and public holidays.
Throwing away glass
While the Brussels region is the strictest in Belgium when it comes to mowing lawns, it is less stringent when it comes to depositing empty bottles and jars in glass containers. This can be done on Sundays and public holidays. On weekday nights, it is prohibited to do so between 22:00 and 07:00.
The same rules are followed in other cities in Belgium. In smaller municipalities, this is prohibited all day on Sunday. Usually, the rules around the use will be stipulated on the glass containers or in recycling centres.
Shopping and groceries
For non-Belgians (especially those from the UK), it may come as a surprise that many grocery stores and almost all retail shops are closed on Sundays.
The vast majority of Aldi, Lidl, Cora, Makro, Okay, and Colruyt supermarkets across the country remain closed on Sundays. Some Delhaize, Carrefour and Albert Heijn shops are open for the first half of the day, while smaller, urban stores stay open all day. Most Intermarché locations in Brussels and Wallonia will also be open but under reduced opening hours. Some Spar and Match locations are also open.
However, more and more supermarket chains are considering staying open on Sunday. Colruyt Group plans to open all Okay convenience stores on Sunday mornings while Carrefour has also decided to expand the supermarket's operating hours on this day of rest.
Large retail stores tend to be closed on Sundays due to the country's labour laws, while smaller, independent shops are increasingly deciding to stay open.
Limits on trucks
Finally, on highways with fewer than three lanes in the same direction, vehicles wider than 3.5 meters (considered "exceptional transport") are subject to a weekend driving ban from Saturday 12:00 to midnight on Sunday.
