The best running trails around Koksijde

Image 'The Herring' on the beach of Sint-André.

Landmark on the pier of Nieuwpoort.

A nature reserve with a rare wealth of fauna and flora unequaled in Belgium, except in the Zwin nature reserve. The freshwater of the Yser, the only river in Belgium that flows directly into the North Sea, mixes with the salty seawater. Tidal action has created a unique mudflat and salt marsh area, an ideal breeding ground for a rich variety of benthic organisms such as worms, snails, seaweed, shells, and crustaceans. The constant interaction between salt and freshwater in the Yser estuary also creates a unique biotope, characterized by salt-tolerant plants such as samphire, sea plantain, and sea aster. Source: https://www.dekust.be/natuurreservaat-de-ijzermonding

These striking statues can be placed alongside monuments like the Statue of Liberty (New York) or Christ the Redeemer (Rio de Janeiro) thanks to their heroic-realistic character. Originally, such statues served as guides, but now they've become true must-sees. The three heads are also true wiseguys: each stubbornly looks in a different direction: towards France, England, or the Belgian countryside.

With only a pedestal for a body and their identical faces, the Three Wise Men of De Panne brave the elements. Their monolithic stature towers over the coastline. They fit into a tradition of realistic, public sculptures with a heroic function, such as the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor, the Cristo Redentor in Rio de Janeiro, or, in the distant past, the Colossus of Rhodes. They stand as guardians or guardian angels for those sailing the sea, and as symbolic protectors of a port or coastal city. Originally serving as a welcoming beacon or guidepost, these statues have become a tourist attraction over time, from a point of reference to the destination itself. Originally, "wisdom" was a colloquial term for a scholar or wise person; now, it's used to describe a know-it-all who confuses wisdom with arrogance. With "The Three Wise Men of De Panne," Jos de Gruyter and Harald Thys have combined the original meaning with an extremely literal interpretation: the "pointing" of the nose. Nothing is as effectively guiding as a human nose; as laughable and banal as it is insurmountable and fundamental. Over each other's heads, the wise men look towards England, France, and the interior respectively, their gaze fixed on infinity. The thoughts, observations, and enigmatic knowledge of their gigantic minds likely extend from these three areas and reach much further. Source: https://www.dekust.be/beaufort-de-drie-wijsneuzen-van-de-panne

Petrus Decreton may not sound familiar, but you'll probably recognize his nickname, Pier Kloeffe. The Icelandic explorer who regularly fished on the beach after the First World War was immortalized in a bronze statue by Louis Van Den Eynde. Source: https://www.strandverblijf.be/nl/wandelingen/beeldenroute-de-panne

For the affluent middle class, the sea wall served as a kind of urban boulevard at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century, perfect for strolling. Not only the sea wall, but also the buildings along it reflect this urban living culture. The villas form a continuous development and are situated on narrow plots. Furthermore, the facades always face the sea, ensuring optimal views of the beach and the water. All these characteristics are still evident in Villa Doudou. This cottage-style house from 1901 was designed by Albert and Alexis Dumont and was originally called "Titikot." It is a narrow, deep house with three stories under a mansard roof. The sea view clearly takes precedence here, as the front door is located on the first floor (half a floor above street level) and opens directly onto the living room, making the living space the width of the building plot. The use of beveled windows also contributes to this effect. The house has a separate service entrance that leads directly into the basement and is intended for staff. The villa is a protected monument, but today it sits wedged between two tall apartment buildings, a typical image of current coastal development. Source: Walking Guide Heritage Walk De Panne

The sculptor is Fernand Vanderplancke, and the bronze caster is Peter Berghman (Roeselaere, 1964). In 1994, De Panne commissioned Bruges sculptor Fernand Vanderplancke, who lives in Oostduinkerke, to create a work of art that references the sea and is constantly in motion. The result is three seagulls atop a 7-meter-high pole. "The stylized seagulls symbolize the freedom that is central to a beach holiday at De Panne. The seagulls are connected at only a few points and hang on a pole at a height of seven meters." Source: De Panne, beeld voor beeld, Cultuurdienst