From De Panne through the Flemish Westhoek

This route takes you through the Westhoek, the West Flemish area that borders France and the North Sea coast. From the seaside resort of De Panne, you make a round through vast fields and open landscape and you cycle through the small towns around Veurne and via the seaside resort of Koksijde-Bad back to your starting point. De Panne is the westernmost place in Belgium and the southernmost seaside resort on the Belgian coast. From the second half of the 19th century, De Panne increasingly changed from a fishing village into a tourist seaside resort. Nowadays, many visitors also come to the popular amusement park Plopsaland. Halfway along your route, you can take a look at the Open Air Museum Bachten de Kupe Vzw. The museum is a reconstructed small farming village and gives an impression of 17th-century life in the Westhoek. The Westhoek is a varied area with wooded ridges, polders and fertile fields, where cycling is wonderful. The river IJzer flows right through the area. In the open-air museum you can view no less than 46 old and completely authentic buildings. Koksijde is known for its location in the dunes. In the nature reserve de Hoge Blekker you will find the highest dune on the Belgian coast, of about 33 meters. In Koksijde you can learn more about a medieval abbey in Museum Van de Duinenabdij or Abdijmuseum Ten Duinen. It is a unique archaeological site and a very contemporary museum. You will also find a beautiful collection of religious silver there. Lovers of visual arts can visit Museum Paul Delvaux. The museum is dedicated to the work of the surrealist master Paul Delvaux, the'artist of the dream and poetry\\\'. Delvaux was often included in Belgian surrealism, but wanted to create'poetic realism\\\' himself. With this he reached unprecedented heights and international fame.