Nieuwpoort-Bad

In 1864, the first tourist building, namely the Pavillon des Bains, was constructed in the dunes on the left bank of the Havengeul. The following year, a three-kilometer-long connecting road was built between Nieuwpoort city and the sea, and in 1869, the Diksmuide-Nieuwpoort railway line was extended to the seaside resort. From 1864 to 1893, the development of Nieuwpoort-Bad was virtually a monopoly of Baron Benjamin Crombez, who at that time owned all the land in the resort. However, his methods faced criticism, and the fact that Nieuwpoort Zeebaden was part of Oostduinkerke at that time hindered the development of tourism. In 1893, a turning point occurred when the management of the resort was entrusted to the new company "Grand Hôtels et Villas de Nieuport Bains." The expansion and renewed building activity were interrupted by both World Wars, during which the resort was turned into a wreckage. In a referendum in 1947, the majority of residents voted in favor of transferring the resort from Oostduinkerke to Nieuwpoort. This was officially ratified in 1949.

Vl. Toeristisch bezienswaardigheden