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Hidden gems in De Panne
At the western end of the Belgian coast, De Panne offers quiet dunes, a villa district full of character and traces of the First World War.
- A villa district with character: the protected Dumontwijk in De Panne, named after architect Albert Dumont, has more than 500 homes in all kinds of styles, with a core from the late nineteenth century. On a stroll, look out for Le Chalutier, Villa De Strandgaper, Villa My Corner and Villa Fantasio.
- The king's chapel: on the Kapellelaan stands the Royal Chapel, built between 1906 and 1908 for the Oblate Fathers and dedicated to Our Lady of the Sea. King Albert I attended Mass here with his family during the First World War; a bronze plaque recalls this, and the Belgian crown adorns the doorway. A Marian grotto lies on the east side.
- War cemetery on the Heldenweg: on the Heldenweg in Adinkerke, close to the Sint-Audomaruskerk, some 1650 soldiers of the First World War rest in the Belgian military cemetery. When the Heldenweg was built in 1925, around 140 old headstones were smashed and mixed into the road surface; the outrage helped lead to the IJzer Tower in Diksmuide. Six of those small headstones still stand here.
Practical tips
These tips help you get even more out of your visit to De Panne.
- Tides: plan a beach walk or a bike ride along the coast with the tide table.
- The weather: the weather page shows the forecast and hours of sunshine for the coming days.
- By bike: most sights are easy to reach by bike.
» View our complete 'see & do' list with many more museums, attractions, monuments and other places of interest.