2023-07-22 13:45:00
When Ann Rigole walks in the streets of Middelkerke, not 20 seconds go by without someone waving at her or saying hello, all smiles. It’s very simple, the owner of Bord’o, brasserie and wine bar (more than 300 à la carte!) knows everyone. His restaurant is a hit all year round “with a clientele of locals or regular weekend residents” and is located on the main street.
Our summer series on small coastal resorts: 2. In Oostduinkerke, the ideal alternative between Coxyde and Nieuport
The ex-Mouscronnoise adopted Middelkerke, which she has known like the back of her hand since she was 14, and her playful and sociable nature did the rest. Her place, she wanted it in her image: beautiful menu, good dishes, smiling welcome and the kitchen is open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. “And it’s one of the places where you can still have a drink even late at night, and it’s known because it’s rare here”.
Anne Rigole, here on Wenduine beach, adopted Middelkerke when she was 14! Unless it’s the other way around… The enthusiasm she shows for her town is infectious. ©Antoine LARSILLE
She is our “ambassador” to help us discover the new youth of what was one of the first seaside resorts on the Belgian coast, at the beginning of the 19th century. A small station at the origin but which now has everything of a big one. Categorized among the most family-friendly towns on the coast, with great entertainment on the beach for children and families, Middelkerke has expanded for its residents in recent years, as Ann shows us: the new sports complex has recently included a swimming pool, a fitness center, a paddle tennis court, a bowling alley, a karting. In summer, the Pop-Up Arena Proximus marquee concerts take place next door. A stone’s throw from the center.
And it might be that a nightclub takes place in the building currently occupied by the temporary casino… To that, we add a city center with many shops and attractive fashion, decoration and concept stores and we would almost forget what has been in the news for months…
An international future desired by the mayor
Because Middelkerke is at a crossroads. And is expected to grow exponentially in the coming years. The reason: the old casino has disappeared and, in its place, in the nerve center of the town, overlooking the dike and the beach, a brand new space should open for Christmas 2023. And not just any space: “De Bolder” – “Le Bollard” in French. A building built by the Nautilus team of architects which will include a games room (casino), an event room for 1,700 people, a hotel with 60 rooms on 4 floors, an underground car park with 200 spaces and a restaurant with terrace from which you can have a magnificent view of the sea.
Located opposite Place Epernay, it will be “only 6 or 7” high, i.e. only 25% of its total area, the rest being under the dyke. The building is futuristic, like a top placed on a square that gives pride of place to pedestrians and vegetation if we are to believe the animated models circulating. The mayor and deputy Jean-Marie Dedecker, a well-known Flemish political figure, is very proud of this major operation, at 50 million announced. The only place on the entire coast where you might build in front of the dyke, the Bolder should give an international cachet and attract tourism of the same ilk. The ambitions are great: “Middelkerke will become the Saint-Tropez of the Belgian Coast, but with a family dimension, according to its mayor.
A modern and soft dike
And yet, even if the work is going well, for the moment, we can clearly say that the dike is not the most welcoming over its 7 km (it was at the beginning of June, Editor’s note)… Because in the process, we are renovating the whole dike. To see what it will look like, Anneke takes us to Westende. In this quiet little resort which has kept its old-fashioned charm (wonderful Rotunda of the Grand Hôtel Bellevue, so photographed!), the surprise is considerable. Extends an unrecognizable dyke, sand-colored, and with sand, embellished with 20,000 dune plants. And safer since it is built on two floors”: The seawall itself, in sand tones and modern materials, welcomes pedestrians and cyclists.
The design of the new dike, made up of more than 20,000 plants, is the work of Philip Moyersoen, the creator of MOP Urban Design. It was officially inaugurated at the end of June. ©MOP Urban Design
For an even more natural integration into the seaside environment, public furniture and terraces are made of the same wood. Each establishment of course keeps its own style and atmosphere. Below, a path for walkers meanders, taking gentle turns, embellished with vegetation. Leaving the urban area, it turns into a path of sand and pebbles and dune grass. It goes as far as Lombardsijde and will join Middelkerke in the same way, ie 3 km of easy route.
Summer will be “beach bars”
For this summer, the one that we might soon humorously call “the Middle Empire” by its name and its development, is therefore counting on another asset than its “zeedijk”: its beach and the many beach bars that dot it: 5 in Middelkerke and 4 in Westende, open from April to October. The first coming from Ostend, Pata Pata all in white planks and turquoise blue cushions takes us straight to St Barth the Caribbean and fills up at the slightest ray, no matter the work, as long as there is sunshine! A big advantage since Middelkerke is the station with the most to the west of Ostend: there are two in Nieuwpoort and it is in Blankenberge and Knokke that there are the most.
One of Ann’s favorite beach bars: Pata Pata, a little end of the world, the last in Middelkerke before Ostend. ©Facebook Pata Pata
Have to do
THE Tourist Offices de Middelkerke and Westende will introduce you to events and novelties. Guided tours with K-Ambassadors take place throughout the summer. And you can find all the information on summer at the sea on the site lelittoral.be
Discover : The New Casino – Beaufort Sculpture Park – Le Rotonde/Grand Hotel Bellevue – Surfclub De Kwinte – Villa Zephrys – Kayak or SUP through the polders – Se perdre dans la nature à Middelkerke-Westende – Atlantic Wall Raversijde
Manger : Sea Juice Brewery – The Knipperij : Barbier et Café – Gastropub Madeleine – Beachbars – Cocktailbars – The recommendations of Gault-Millau to Middelkerke – Escapade Culinary Middelkerke
Shopping: Concept-stores
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