Libelle - Oudenburg-Klemskerke-Bredene (Romans and Benedictines)

This tour starts in Oudenburg, where you can admire archaeological artifacts from Roman times and constructions from the Middle Ages, such as a cloth hall, bell tower, and beguinage. You cycle through the polders to the sea and ride along the North Sea between Bredene and Ostend.

In Oudenburg, the Romans built five successive fortifications. The unique archaeological collection is displayed in the Roman Archaeological Museum (RAM). You cycle through the polders to Roksem and arrive at Domain De Hoge Dijken. This former sand extraction area is the ideal habitat for birds, which you can observe from the viewing huts. After that, you ride along the Ostend-Ghent canal, which you cross at the Stalhille bridge. After the polder villages of Stalhille, Vlissegem, and Klemskerke, you arrive in Bredene-Bad. Do you love shells? Then visit the local history museum Turkeyenhof. A lovely place to have a drink is surfers bar Twins Club. A wonderful route follows along the Spinoladijk, heading towards Ostend. In the dunes lies Fort Napoleon, which the French emperor had built in 1810. Besides an exhibition space, there is also a restaurant bistro. Nearby lies the blue-and-white lighthouse Lange Nelle. You ride along the Spuikom, a dream location for water sports enthusiasts. You arrive at the lock complex of Plassendale, where the Plassendalevaart connects to the Bruges-Ostend Canal. Admire the authentic locks from the 17th century. The surrounding area is protected, not only as a monument but also as a village landscape. In the last kilometer, you cycle along the Oudenburgs Vaardeken. Just before Oudenburg, you pass the imposing gate of the abbey farm. Only the access gate, the dovecote, the abbey farm, and the abbot's residence of the Benedictine abbey have been preserved.