The best traffic-free bike rides around Houthulst

From Belgian WWI rest zone to Trappist pickup point Today, cyclists and beer lovers come here to pick up their reserved crate of Westvleteren. More than a hundred years ago, this was a very different place. At the end of 1917, the area around St. Sixtus Abbey was set up as a Belgian rest zone. Soldiers could catch their breath here after their deployment at the front. Initially, the monks feared that the Belgian troops would cause nuisance, but that concern proved unfounded. The soldiers behaved exemplarily and helped the abbey where needed. A British officer described the place as an “oasis of rest and peace in the middle of the war desert.” Today, that peace still reigns here, only with a very different mission: no soldiers resting, but cyclists picking up their crate of Blond, 8 or 12. 🍺 Tip: picking up your Westvleteren here? Then take a look at the information board. You are standing in a place where war history and Trappist beer come together beautifully today.

St. Sixtus Abbey & In de Vrede: Trappist beer with a touch of mystery 🍻 A bike tour through the Westhoek is not complete without a stop at the St. Sixtus Abbey of Westvleteren. The brewery itself remains closed to visitors, but the abbey walls and the information center Het Claustrum offer a beautiful glimpse into the lives of the monks and the rich history of this special place. Right next to the abbey, you'll find In de Vrede, the meeting center where you can enjoy a Westvleteren Blond, 8, or 12, accompanied by a snack on the terrace. In the abbey shop, depending on availability, you can also purchase Trappist beer and official glasses. A delightful stop where tranquility, history, and an authentic West Flemish beer moment come together!

Hop fields around the St. Sixtus Abbey 🍺🌿 Typical Poperingse hop fields regularly appear around the St. Sixtus Abbey. The meters-high wooden poles and wire nets form an impressive landscape where the hop plants enthusiastically climb upwards in the summer. In spring, the first green tendrils appear, and in late summer, the fragrant hop cones are ready for harvest. Even outside the growing season, the tall poles remain a recognizable feature of the landscape. A typical piece of the Poperingse region that immediately gives your bike tour around the abbey extra character! 🚴‍♂️

Stavelebrug: from French riders to a lively war camp 🐎 Today, the Stavelebrug is a quiet passage for hikers and cyclists along the Yser. During the First World War, it looked very different here. A historical photo on the information board shows French soldiers on horseback wading through the Yser at this strategic crossing point. Stavele grew into a large army camp during the war, where thousands of soldiers stayed, rested, or were on their way to the front. The bridges over the Yser were also of great importance for the supply of troops, food, and ammunition. Nice detail: in June 1915, the French Zouaves even organised a big party with theatre and music here to boost the soldiers' morale. A beautiful spot to stop for a moment and compare today's peaceful landscape with the activity of more than a hundred years ago.

Flandrien Challenge – Gildestraat is a short but fierce calf-biter! Do you see this tile on the asphalt? Then you are at the foot of an official Flandrien Challenge segment! This is your invitation to give it your all on the flanks of the Rodeberg in Heuvelland. What awaits you on the Gildestraat? It is short and powerful! With a length of only 250 meters, this climb seems like a piece of cake on paper, but appearances are deceiving. Steep stretch: the road starts relatively calmly with an average of 8%, but in the second part it shoots up venomously to a maximum gradient of no less than 14%! Perfect launch: This asphalted climb brings you to just before the notorious Baneberg. Ideal for getting your heart rate up sharply for a moment. Golden tip: just before you dive under the trees, quickly look over your shoulder. You will get one of the most beautiful panoramas of the village of Loker for free. Step on it and blaze!

The Roman Catholic Church of St. Nicholas (Dutch Sint-Niklaaskerk) in Diksmuide (West Flanders province) is an east-facing church building that was rebuilt after its destruction in World War I and restored after the fire caused by the bombing of 1940 until the early 1950s.

Bridge closure: The bridge at Fintele is closed to all traffic until October 2, 2026 due to works. New lock gates are being installed, among other things. I came from the Diksmuide direction, had to turn back and continued cycling along Reninge. I haven't seen the situation on the other side yet (whether you can continue to Veurne, for example)

The harbor in Ypres, known locally as "De Kaaie," is actually the Ieperlee, which runs beneath the city of Ypres and becomes visible again there. At the Drie Grachten (Three Canals), the Ieperlee is joined by the Martjevaart canal, which originates in Merkem. Drie Grachten is a hamlet in the west of Merkem where the three canals converge: the Martjevaart canal, the Ypres-IJzer canal (also known as the Ieperlee Canal), and the Ieperlee itself. Drie Grachten is also known for the battles during World War I, in which the French, including the Zouaves, fought against the Germans. After a failed attack on the German outpost at Luigem, the Germans captured a number of Zouaves. They launched a counterattack but hid behind the captured Zouaves to prevent the French Zouaves from firing on them, thinking they were their own men returning. At one point, one of the captured Zouaves reportedly shouted: "Tirez donc au nom de Dieu, ce sont les Boches!" (For God's sake, these are the Boches!). Immediately after the warning, a French salvo erupted, mowing down both the Germans and the captured Zouaves. The Zouaves of Northern France (Union des Zouaves du Nord) continued to commemorate this after the war. Luigem is a hamlet 1 kilometer east of Drie Grachten and 1 kilometer west of the center of Noordschote. The Zouaves (French: zouaves) were a light infantry unit of the French Army, associated with French North Africa.