SHOPPING BRUSSELS

Le Bande des Six Nez Ch de Wavre 179. (Métro: Schuman. Mon-Sat 10am-7pm.) Stocks a variety of new comics, as well as original editions from the 1940s and 1950s. It also sells original drawings, and those who think cartoon art is kid's stuff might be surprised to learn that a 1930s sketch of Tintin recently sold for ?24,780. Fortunately the comics come a little cheaper - anything from ?1.50 to ?150 - and there's a modest, but interesting, English-language section.

Brüsel Bd Anspach 100. (Métro: Bourse. Mon-Sat 10am-6.30pm.) This well-known comic shop stocks more than 8000 new issues and specialises in French underground editions - Association, Amok and Bill to name but a few. You'll also find the complete works of the famous Belgian comic-book artist Schuiten, most popularly known for his controversial comic Brüsel, which depicts the architectural destruction of a city (guess which one) in the 1960s. Calvin and Hobbes make an appearance, as does Tintin in a babel of language versions. The shop is particularly worth visiting when it hosts a pop-art or comic-book exhibition.

Centre Belge de la Bande Dessinée Rue des Sables 20. (Métro: de Brouckère, Botanique or Rogier. Tues-Sun 10am-6pm.) This museum bookstore is definitely worth a visit even if you haven't been to the museum - it contains a wide range of new comics.

Le Dépôt Jonas Ch d'Ixelles 140. (Bus #71. Mon-Sat 10.15am-2pm & 2.15pm-6.30pm.) Dingy but vast space containing comics, videos, gaming software, music and collectable prints. Several thousand comics on display.

Espace BD Place Fernand Coq 2. (Bus #71. Mon 1.30pm-7pm, Tues-Sat 10.30am-7pm.) Selling principally adult-themed comics, Espace BD features a beautiful gallery displaying a host of prints and sketches from all sorts of artists, including Dany, Gimenez, Berthet and Alice. Immaculately organized and a pleasant place to spend an afternoon browsing.

Espace Tintin Rue de la Colline 13. (Métro: Bourse. Mon 11am-6pm, Tues-Sat 10am-6pm, Sun 11am-5pm.) Set up, no doubt, by someone with an unhealthy obsession with Hergé's quiffed hero. Expect to find anything and everything to do with Tintin - comic books, postcards, stationery, figurines, T-shirts and sweaters - and all Hergé's other cartoon creations, such as Quick & Flupke. Just off the Grand-Place.

Fil à Terre Ch de Wavre 198. (Métro: Porte de Namur. Daily 11.30am-8pm.) A comic shop with a fairly wide selection - there are over three thousand - of Belgian and French comics. Fil à Terre also provides customers with a bar in which to read their latest purchase.

Librairie des Etangs Ch d'Ixelles 319. (Bus #71. Mon-Sat 10am-7pm, Sun 10am-2pm.) More than 3000 English-language titles, as well as a good selection of Asian and Caribbean works. They also have occasional prose readings in the basement, and when you get tired of browsing the bookshelves there's a tea-room at the back serving refreshments and a small gallery to wander in.

Pêle-Mêle Bd Maurice Lemonnier 55. (Métro: Annessens. Mon-Sat 10am-6.30pm.) A maze-like shop with a jumble of second-hand books stacked up against the walls. Thrillers, classics, comics, magazines and even CDs retail at some of the lowest prices in Brussels: a Balzac or a Camus will cost around ?0.50. The whole wall devoted to English-language titles houses novels selling at ?1-1.50. A good place to unload any unwanted books as they also buy.

Sterling Books Rue du Fossé aux Loups 38. (Métro: de Brouckère. Mon-Sat 10am-7pm, Sun noon-6.30pm.) This large English-language book shop has more than 50,000 UK and US titles, including a large selection of magazines, and is much cheaper than Waterstone's - they sell books at the cover price, converted at the day's exchange rate, plus six percent VAT. You can also pay directly in pound sterling. Also has a children's corner with a small play area.

Waterstones Bd Adolphe Max 71-75. (Métro: de Brouckère or Rogier. Mon-Thurs 9am-6.30pm, Fri-Sat 9am-7pm.) The Brussels branch of the British parent company, selling over 70,000 English-language titles. The premises are a bit cramped, making it far from ideal for browsing, but there's an excellent selection of books and magazines and a good ordering service.