As Belgium's southernmost seaside resort, De Panne may well be the final destination of the coastal tram. The friendly coastal community is also the ideal starting point for a recreational cycling trip. You will find a combination of dunes, forests and polders, while the war past and the French border are never far away.
De Panne - starting point for many cycling adventures
Leopold I already knew it when he set foot on Belgian soil in De Panne in 1831. The coastal community is the gateway to the hinterland. Now, 190 years later, De Panne is the ideal base to combine the typical coastal tourism with a recreational and varied cycling tour.
To explore the region, we talk to Nel De Crits, head of the tourism department, at the Tourist Office on Zeelaan. Having been a professional cyclist, Nel is the perfect person to show us the most interesting cycling routes in the region. As we are early, we can park quickly in the large free parking lot on Koningsplein. Although, with the bike in the boot, it should not be a problem to park a bit further away. If you cannot practically bring your own bike, or if you do not have a suitable one, you can rent a bike in De Panne quickly and easily.
Salty sea air in your lungs
At the monument of the first King of the Belgians on the Leopold I Esplanade, we fill our lungs with the salty sea air before heading for the promenade. The wide sandy beach is - except for organised beach races - unfortunately forbidden for two-wheelers. Yet, Nel does not want us to miss out on the walking dyke. Actually, the paved path is nothing more than a concrete dune reinforcement, made to protect the vulnerable dune that separates the North Sea from the Westhoek Reserve. The wide beach is the preferred terrain for blokart racers. But cyclists can find their ultimate pleasure a little further inland, in the Calmeynbos.
The (cycling) forest of Calmeyn
The 66-hectare area was planted in 1903 after agricultural engineer Maurice Calmeyn initiated it in order to study whether deciduous forests could grow in calcareous dune areas. Today, mountain bikers can enjoy a 4.5-kilometre-long loop consisting mainly of single tracks. Calmeyn's trees are even used in a horizontal position to create a number of jumps. In any case, the Calmeynbos lends itself to a nice initiation into biking. During the winter months, it is the preferred playground for many local cyclists.
Cross-border connections
After the first technique training, we take a stroll along the Maerebrug. Inaugurated in 2013, the structure spans the Nieuwpoort-Dunkirk Canal over a distance of 33 metres and is located right on the French-Belgian border. The construction of this bridge is part of a European project to build a recreational and functional cross-border network, and as such, forms an important link between the French town of Dunkirk and De Panne. Past the Maerebrug, we follow the Maerestraat, which runs straight for a while. At the sight of the Cabourg dunes, we want to go off road again. Understandably, this is unfortunately not allowed in the more than 5000 year old fossil dune area. Peace and quiet prevail here. It makes the dune, that is just a few kilometres from the coast, a unique place of silence. A little too quiet for us, as the picturesque café 'Au retour de la chasse' is unfortunately closed. And so we paddle on leisurely.
De Moeren, the curse of Cobergher
Via an extremely convenient bicycle tunnel, we pass under the E40 motorway and turn away from the French border until we reach De Moeren via Cobergherstraat. Wenceslas Cobergher is world-famous in De Panne and its surroundings as he was the brain behind the reclamation of De Moeren. We have to look it up and read that the same man is also the architect of the Basilica of Scherpenheuvel. In De Panne and its surroundings, Cobergher drew the Ringslot, a drainage ditch that drained the former marshland. The plain lies one metre below sea level, and it soon becomes apparent that there are still certainties in life, especially in De Moeren. In the Calmeynbos, we struggled with the technical part, but now it is mainly our fitness that is put to the test. The wind is mercilessly blowing straight into our faces. That is why the riders in Gent-Wevelgem are almost as scared of De Moeren as of De Kemmelberg. It is always windy here. So much so that the trees along the road grow at an angle because of the wind. For a moment we curse Cobergher for having ensured the accessibility of this area in the seventeenth century.
With a tailwind past Plopsaland
But soon our physical efforts are rewarded. We still have to make the loop via Leisele and Houtem. Instead of continuing to fight the wind, we choose the tailwind that blows us back to Adinkerke in no time. Here, we can see the impressive buildings that have been erected at Plopsaland over recent years. As an avid cyclist, you can easily drop off the rest of your family to go out and explore the region on your own.
De Panne charms and enchants
Our exploration comes to an end when the Market of De Panne comes into sight. We settle down at one of the many terraces for a well-deserved lunch while we go over our tour. The small scale of De Panne is especially charming. Architect Dumont's influences from the late 19th and early 20th centuries are still visible. Thanks to the strong connection with the many nearby nature reserves, De Panne effortlessly charms cyclists and walkers. We will definitely be back.
- Met dank aan Cycling Vlaanderen.