Discover Noordschote: Polders, Chapels and Wartime History

Noordschote combines surroundings shaped by canals and polder landscapes with impressive traces of the village’s local and wartime history. Those looking for a holiday apartment or holiday home in Noordschote will find points of interest for a wide variety of days here: an annual procession, the Chapel Trail and the fully signposted Poeselpad through the valley of the Ieperlee. The choice of accommodation can therefore be guided by whether you primarily want to discover landscapes, culture or historic memorial sites.

Polder Landscape Between Canals

To the east of Noordschote lies the Poesel polder area, also known as Poesel(e). It is located between the Ieper-IJzer Canal and the Martjevaart on the border with Merkem. West of the canal lies the Noordschotebroek, which adjoins the Reningse Broeken. The Ieper-IJzer Canal, also known as the Ieperlee, forms the eastern boundary of Noordschote to the north as far as the Drie Grachten, and from there crosses the village in a north–south direction.

These geographical features give you a clear orientation for exploring the landscape. The fully signposted Poeselpad leads through the valley of the Ieperlee. Its route includes the Ketsedijk, Westpoeselstraat, Driegrachten, the Ieperlee, Martjesvaart and Oostpoeselstraat. A 556-metre section connects Oostpoeselstraat and Westpoeselstraat with Merkem, a submunicipality of Houthulst. Those who enjoy walking can use this route to focus their stay on a specific trail and several landscape areas.

Chapel Trails and Historic Memorial Sites

The Chapel Trail is 3.5 kilometres long and takes approximately one hour. It passes seven chapels that refer to the wartime history of the region. This religious trail tradition includes the Kapel ommegang Zeven Smarten van Maria, a series of wayside chapels dedicated to the Seven Sorrows of Mary. For planning your day, the Chapel Trail offers a manageable route, while the Poeselpad provides a more landscape-focused walk through the valley of the Ieperlee.

The parish church of Sint-Barnabas is also part of Noordschote’s cultural character. It was rebuilt in 1921–1923 based on the pre-war model. The Noordschote war memorial commemorates the military and civilian victims of the First World War and is incorporated into the brick wall of the cemetery. A memorial plaque for the unknown Zouave was unveiled near the place where he sacrificed his life in 1951.

Further historical highlights include the Driedelige Duitse militaire post, a German military installation from the First World War in the Noordschote area of Lo-Reninge, as well as the canal at Drie Grachten. During the First World War, the front line between German and Belgian troops ran there; the Belgian troops were supported by a French unit. These places make the region’s history comprehensible not only through monuments, but also through its landscape and transport routes.

Planning Your Trip Around Your Interests

The Noordschote chapel procession takes place annually on the third Sunday in September through the streets of Noordschote. If you would like to experience this event, it should be included in a dedicated trip plan. For other stays, you can focus on the trails, the polder areas or the historic sites. Drie Grachten is the connecting road between Merkem in Houthulst and Noordschote and continues from Merkem along the Ieper-IJzer Canal.

A holiday apartment in Noordschote is a particularly interesting search option if you would like to combine your stay with walks, landscape observation and regional history. If you are planning shorter excursions, the Chapel Trail offers a route with a clearly stated length and approximate duration. For a more extensive exploration of the landscape, you can include the Poeselpad. The signposted Niemandswaterfietsroute 14-18 also runs through the associated municipality as a 44.4-kilometre circular route starting from Lo-Reninge and Vleteren.

More Places for Your Plans

If, in addition to Noordschote, you would like to visit another place on the same level, you can find Pollinkhove here. This allows you to combine your search for suitable accommodation with additional destinations and different interests.

For the higher-level travel overview: Lo-Reninge.