The history of Forest began around St Denis’s church, but it was the establishment of an abbey here that began the development of the lower part of Forest with the growing of crops and the raising of animals on farms. In the shadow of its spectacular Art Deco town hall is a beautiful group of Neo-Classical buildings built at the end of the eighteenth century by the architect Laurent Benoît Dewez, that bear witness to the former power of the abbey. Beyond these masterful heritage buildings, some of the district’s streets have retained an almost village-like atmosphere, with many unexpected discoveries awaiting along the way that are worth a second look.