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World War I in Poperinge and in the Ypres Salient. In Flanders Fields

​During WW1 the Tommies called Poperinge “Petit Paris” (Little Paris):  the town was one of the few non-conquered Belgian cities where soldiers came to find rest and recuperation. Hence, our guesthouse is an ideal base to start a visit to the Ypres Salient, with hotspots such as: ​A wealth of useful tips, mapped out routes and fun apps can be found on https://www.flandersfields.be/en
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Breweries and hotspots of Belgian Beer

  • Following the Ratebeers Best 2015 Awards 7 of the 100 best beers in the world are brewed in the Westhoek, in an area of 10 km around our B&B. Is there something in the air or in the soil that produces this unique tradition or maybe it’s nothing more than pure craftsmanship of the brewers in the region.  To mention just a few: Westvleteren 12 and Extra 8 (Sint-Sixtusmonastery Westvleteren), Black Albert, Pannepot, Pannepot Grand Reserva and Pannepot Reserva (De Struise Brouwers Oostvleteren) and Sint-Bernardus Abt 12 (Sint-Bernardus Watou).
  • The area abounds with bars and restaurants where you can taste local beers and excellent dishes based on beer. A superb beer restaurant in the neighbourhood is ’t Hommelhof at Watou.  https://www.hommelhof.be/welcome/#welkom   Make your reservation in time!
  • You want to bike and visit beer hotspots? We give you advice for a nice trip. 
  • The best place to taste the “St-Sixtus Westvleteren Trappist” is Cafe In De Vrede, at walking distance from our guesthouse. Check opening hours and holidays !  ​http://www.indevrede.be/home.php?lang=en  (usually closed during the Easter holidays.)
  • For an interesting guided visit (plus sampling) to the St-Bernardusbrewery in Watou: ​https://www.sintbernardus.be/en/brewery?/visit? 
  • A sparkling festival of beer styles is brought to you at the Dolle Brouwers in Esen.  The beers offered here fully live up to their name of “special” beer!  http://www.dedollebrouwers.be 
  • You want to visit a working hop farm? Or you want to buy hop flowers or taste a uniquely destilled hop gin? You can do at ’t Hoppecruyt, a working hop farm in Proven.  https://www.hoppecruyt.be/en 
  • A particularly interesting project as well is the organic hop farm and adjacent brewery De Plukker, the only organic hop farm in Belgium: https://www.plukker.be/en/
  • And don’t forget the National Hop Museum in Poperinge, also well worth a visit! http://www.hopmuseum.be/en    

Hiking in Flanders

The Zevende Zon is surrounded by green fields, meadows and woodland. Make sure to bring your hiking boots! We give you advice for some nice hiking trails in the Ypres Salient. (Guide maps are freely available.)

Nice biking trails in Ypres and Poperinge

​The hop region of Poperinge is a fantastic biking area. Flat or slightly undulating, this is the place where Flemish bike racers prepare for their 'classics'. Just like for hiking, there are plenty of biking trails and maps. It’s our pleasure to lend you some of our biking trailguides trail guides which show you the system of intersections to take on your outing.
You can plan your trail at home on :  http://www.fietsnet.be/routeplanner/default.aspx    More about trails in the Ypres Salient can be found on: http://www.fietsroute.org/cycling/route/The_Ypres_Salient   or : https://www.flandersfields.be/en/do/bike-trails

Historical cities in Flanders nearby

Our B&B is the ideal base to visit the Westhoek region. Well worth a visit are the many interesting towns like Poperinge, Ypres, Bruges and Veurne or Cassel, Bergues and Lilles, just across the French border.

Kids' entertainment.

Ideal for the kids are: the brand-new swimming pool/aquatic pool in Poperinge, the animal sanctuary park De Zonnegloed in Vleteren and the many historical parades and processions like the Cats' Parade of Ypres.

Romantic restaurants in the neighbourhood of Ypres and Poperinge

Personally we recommend the following establishments, and we are not the only ones! Please, check for possible holidays and opening hours before you book. (we can do it for you on request.)
€     Restaurant ’t Rozenhof (Proven) within 4 kms: renowned for its affordable and copious dishes.
       https://www.facebook.com/rozenhofproven
€€   Restaurant ’t Hommelhof (Watou) within 8 kms: “haute cuisine”, many dishes prepared with local beer.  http://www.hommelhof.be/
€€   Café In de Vrede (West-Vleteren) within 3 kms: in the immediate vicinity of the monastery and brewery of St-Sixtus. Taste "the best beer in the world",
        still brewed by the monks on site. Menu on: http://www.indevrede.be/suggesties.php?lang=en    Please, mind opening hours and holidays! (usually
        closed during the Easter holidays.)   http://www.indevrede.be/toerisme.php?lang=en
€     Ice cream bar Ateljee 5 (Vleteren) within 3kms:  located in the countryside, ample offer of different flavours. Nice playground for the kids. Limited
       opening days and hours!     http://www.ateljee5.be/
€    Café-restaurant The Old Fiddler (Poperinge) 7 kms. Cosy Irish Pub. From time to time live performances staged. https://www.theoldfiddler.be/en/
€   Café De Blauwe Plek (Reningelst) 13 kms: Nice café, from time to time live musical performances staged.
​      https://www.facebook.com/pages/De-Blauwe-Plek/115885738594816?fref=ts
€   Pub De Olifant (Ieper) 20kms. With several vegetarian dishes. 
€   Restaurant St-Hubertus (Westouter) 15 kms. Nice dishes and vegetarian offer. http://www.sinthubertuswestouter.be 
€   Restaurant Terminus (Abeele) 10 kms. A rising star, excellent wines, recommended by  Michelin. ​​http://www.restaurantterminus.be/
€   't Leetvermaak (Ieper) 12 kms. Cosy restaurant, right in the centre of Ypres. www.leetvermaak.be​
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