From the dunes in the Westhoek to Veurne

You cycle through the Flemish Westhoek and through the dunes of the West Coast. The ride takes you from De Panne to Nieuwpoort, after which you turn inland and cycle through the historic town of Veurne. De Panne is the westernmost town in Belgium and the southernmost seaside resort on the Belgian coast. From the second half of the 19th century, De Panne evolved from a fishing village into a touristic seaside resort. Now many visitors also come to the popular amusement park Plopsaland. Art lovers can visit Museum Paul Delvaux. The museum is dedicated to the work of the surrealist master Paul Delvaux, the'artist of dreams and poetry\\\'. Delvaux was often associated with Belgian surrealism, but wanted to create'a poetic realism\\\' himself. With this he reached an unprecedented height and international fame. You cycle through Nieuwpoort, where the river Yser flows into the North Sea. Lighthouse Nieuwpoort was first built in 1881. It was destroyed during the First World War and after reconstruction in 1923 it also did not survive the Second World War. The tower was blown up by the Germans on their retreat in 1944. The tower of 29 meters high is one of the four still working lighthouses along the Belgian coast. Veurne is located in a former salt extraction area. It was already a fortified town in the 9th century, which was walled in the 14th century. The Gothic buildings around the Grote Markt date from the 13th century, when the cloth trade brought wealth to Veurne. You will also find many 17th-century buildings in regional Renaissance style in the Flemish town, built in the Spanish period. The Bakery Museum in Veurne is dedicated to the history of the bakery from 1800 to 1950. The collection was started by a traveling salesman who collected baking materials from the hundreds of bakers he had as customers. You will learn everything about bread baking, confectionery, making ice cream, chocolate, gingerbread and wafers and many more themes that will all make your mouth water.