Nivelles, Belgium

With a population of just 28,521, Nivelles is a sleepy Wallonian backwater, hardly the cosmopolitan hub many expats dream of. The medieval collegiate church and Romanesque crypt may be architectural gems, but the city's industrial past has left it scarred - the entire city center was destroyed during World War II, and rebuilding remains an ongoing slog. The local bureaucracy is a persistent headache, and the region's cold, wet climate is a far cry from the sunny shores many have in mind. Unless you're a die-hard Francophile with a penchant for small-town charm, Nivelles is unlikely to be the Belgian destination of your dreams.