Discover Poperinge: Hops, History and Trails

Poperinge combines a strong hop-growing culture with impressive memorial sites, historic buildings and trails through a hilly landscape. Those planning a family trip can combine different ideas for day trips here: a museum experience, a town walk, a quiet exploration of the history of the First World War and insights into the regional beer tradition. When choosing a holiday apartment, it is therefore worth considering first whether culture, walks or seasonal experiences should be the main focus.

Hops as part of the town’s history

The Hopinstituut and the Nationaal Hopmuseum De Stadsschaal are protected monuments. The industrial-archaeological complex De Stadsschaal has housed the Hop Museum since 1981. Its history goes back further: From 1866 to 1947, De Stadsschaal was a municipal hop warehouse. Hops delivered there were weighed, officially inspected, dried further in kilns and pressed into bales. This makes it possible to understand how closely hop processing was linked to Poperinge’s economic and cultural character.

Talbot House also tells part of this development. The building was constructed in the mid-18th century by the prominent hop-trading Lebbe family and later opened as a soldiers’ club. Visitors can explore Talbot House individually or with their family using a tablet. Moving stories, entertaining anecdotes and original artefacts convey the history of the First World War. For planning your journey, a specific point of reference is useful: Talbot House is a ten-minute walk from Poperinge railway station.

Church art and memorial sites

The Sint-Bertinuskerk is Poperinge’s oldest church. It was rebuilt in 1420 in the Gothic style as a Flemish hall church. Inside, elaborate Baroque wood carvings and hop motifs stand out. Those interested in architectural history and sacred art will find a different way of experiencing the town here than at the Hop Museum.

A trip to Poperinge can also lead to important memorial sites. The Poperinghe New Military Cemetery, with a French military honour field, is the burial place of 677 Commonwealth soldiers, 274 French soldiers, 2 Belgians and 2 Germans. The British section also contains the graves of 17 men executed by the British Army. The cemetery is freely accessible between sunrise and sunset. The “Dodencellen & executieplaats” preserves prison cells from 1913 and an execution site where at least four soldiers faced a firing squad. A film there conveys an impression of the fate of one condemned man; visitors can also decipher graffiti left behind by prisoners.

Walking trails for different day plans

Poperinge is also a starting point for walks with different focuses. The cross-border Hoppeland walking network includes Poperinge and the hilly hop-growing region. Wooded areas, impressive hop fields and winding streams characterise the landscape described there. Those who prefer a set route through the town can choose the 5.5-kilometre Stadswandelroute. The Wandellus Duitse Toren offers a shorter or longer option of 4 or 8 kilometres. This allows the day’s plans to be adapted to the desired route length without mixing up the different walking options.

Hop harvest and regional traditions

During the hop harvest in September, hop growers in Poperinge open their farms to visitors. Visitors can experience the hop harvest at close quarters and enjoy a regional beer when visiting hop farms during the harvest. Another tradition is the Bier- en Hoppefeesten, which have been held since 1956 and take place every three years. Those wishing to include these seasonal experiences in their plans should choose their travel period accordingly.

There are also specific visitor tips for planning the rest of the day: Museumhuis De Gheus can be visited by individual visitors without a reservation from mid-May to mid-September. When looking for a holiday apartment in Poperinge, you can therefore consider your preferred travel periods and experiences together. Those planning several destinations should compare the location of each property with their personal excursion plans. For further options in the area, you can also look at Watou, Reningelst, Proven and Roesbrugge-Haringe.

For the wider travel overview: West Flanders.

More destinations

More places within the same destination:

Lendelede, Langemark-Poelkapelle, Wingene, Nieuwpoort.