Last week I crossed the tracks and been exploring the newer parts of Roermond, between the station and the freeway.
I was pleased to discover the Maasniel neighborhood, tucked away in the northeast part of town. Although not as old as the historic center (most of the buildings seem to date to the late 40’s/early 50’s), it’s really cute. There are little cafes and hair salons, grocery stores, a tobacco shop, a balloon shop (!), most of it tucked away at the foot of a cathedral that I can’t find the name of. There is also, interestingly, a little ceramics studio and a fabric shop that has sewing workshops (www.sashj.com).
I have to admit I’m a little surprised to find such a charming little spot on that “side” of Roermond. Most of my explorations that direction have revealed either street after street of well-kept family homes, or big box stores. It’s nice to see a part of the community that doesn’t resemble bland, auto-centric suburbia, and isn’t curated for tourists. It’s a bit of truly local life.
Finally, one lovely thing about exploring Roermond is that there is water in every direction, either big bodies of water to the north and west, or little ponds and canals over in the east. These little waterways are treated like parks, although they don’t look like that on google maps. They are lined with trees and have walking paths and unexpected little bridges. People have houses with lawns and patios that run right to the edge of the canals, the smallest-scale waterfront property I’ve seen.
It’s (of course) charming, but also reinforces the sense of quiet, peaceful prosperity that Roermond enjoys.
Photos are my own, creative commons license please
Recherche Roermond 
As I was looking for posts about Roermond, my hometown, I found your blog.
Quite interesting to read how someone sees the for me very familiar places.
The community of Roermond consists of the following population centres:
Roermond (municipality) consists
Maasniel (1959)
Leeuwen
Asenray
Herten
Merum
Ool
Swalmen (since 2007)
Boukoul (since 2007)
Asselt (since 2007)
There is a reason why you see few older buildings in Masniel.
The region Middle-Limburg and North-Limburg was Frontline at the end of WWII.
So that’s the reason why a lot of the buildings are pist-WWII. Among them the parish church.
If you stand in front of the church and look at your right you see a building that was the former small townhall of Maasniel.
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Thank you so much for sharing! Do you know what that weird structure is at the corner to the right of the church? You know what I’m talking about: the wooden and metal frame, maybe cow-sized, beside the little flower shop that is there? I’m always curious about what it might be.
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I did some research on that one.
I knew that a blacksmith lived and worked there.
Even found a picture seeing the contraption in action!
First go to the site:
http://www.maasniel.nl
On the left you see a list.
Click on:
Foto’s en Prentbriefkaarten
than:
Raadhuisstraat
than:
De Smid voor ±1970
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That’s so wonderful! Thank you again for sharing!
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