Through the Westhoek and over the French border

This route takes you through the Flemish Westhoek, a varied area with wooded ridges, polders and fertile fields, where cycling is wonderful. You cycle through small villages and past interesting museums. You even take in a small piece of French territory. The river IJzer flows right through the Westhoek. The area between the IJzer and the coast, west of the river, is known as Bachten de Kupe. You cycle near the border with France through the beautiful, open polder landscape of De Moeren, the polder that is partly in Belgium and partly in France. These rich agricultural lands were a marshy landscape in the Middle Ages that was poldered from the beginning of the seventeenth century. Later the area was flooded again and it was not finally drained until 1826. Malt and Brewery de Snoek is dedicated to the 'beer cultural' past of Flanders. The Belgian beer Snoek is brewed on behalf of this'museum of thirst\\\'. Your route also takes you past 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. You can view no less than 46 old and completely authentic buildings in the open air museum.