Café Het Haendekot/De Vrede

VolksCafé selected for a report on folk Cafés in Flanders from the Nieuwsblad.

For more than fifty years, Lucienne Vandevoorde (74) and Roger Bonduelle (73) have been running Café De Vrede along the Watou-Haringe road (Poperinge). "In fact, no one knows our Café by the name 'De Vrede'. The establishment has existed here for more than 350 years and has always been known as 'Het Haendekot', like the small hamlet here. But some time ago, the sign blew away, and the brewer does not want to replace it anymore. We find that very unfortunate. When that second name 'De Vrede' was added, we do not know," says Lucienne.
The square bar room is barely the size of a small living room, and there are chairs with only two tables and a few bar stools. Dozens of slogans from the Bond zonder Naam hang on the walls. Music is not played, but during winter, coziness is prime around the wood stove. There are no taps present, and all the regulars know each other.

INFO:

Café Het Haendekot/De Vrede

Lucienne Vandevoorde

Moenaardestraat, 72 Haringe, Poperinge

Dromos