On September 1, 1837, Victor Hugo wants to take the coach to Dunkirk in Veurne. However, the coach is full with six stout ladies. Because it is a beautiful day, the writer decides to walk. After he has sent his luggage with the coach, he leaves Veurne at 10:30 am. According to his description, he walks along what is now probably the canal to Adinkerke, to go from there to the sea. At that time, De Panne did not yet exist. In the dunes, the writer sees only bitter misery, mud huts with naked children in the middle of the road. Halfway, he rests for an hour and drinks two glasses of beer in an inn just over the border in what is probably now Bray-Dunes. At half-past four, he is in Dunkirk. The city does not appeal to him. Out of boredom, he writes to his wife about the past day. (source: Michiel Hendryckx)

This cycling route is a free interpretation of that trajectory, guided by cycling junctions and some highlights. A round trip has also been made so that you can return to your starting point in Veurne. The return trip follows a different route, allowing you to also enjoy the beauty of the Moeren.