Wevelgem between flax heritage, nature and aviation

Discover Wevelgem through a range of different themes: aviation history, traces of the flax industry, protected buildings and green landscapes. The FAS Luchtvaartmuseum focuses on the history of Kortrijk-Wevelgem International Airport. Models, dioramas, cockpits and instruments bring the exhibition to life. If you are interested in technology and aviation, you will find a distinctive cultural perspective on the place here.

Experience nature and compare routes

Provinciedomein Bergelen covers 47 hectares. The Heulebeek flows through the area, following a largely natural course. Bergelen is open to pedestrians; a section of the cycling network also passes through it, and the Zilveren Spoor horse-riding route crosses the grounds. This lets you compare different ways of experiencing the landscape: on foot, along a section of the cycling network or on the riding route.

Het Leiebos covers around 20 hectares. These figures offer a simple comparison of size: at 47 hectares, Bergelen is larger, while Het Leiebos is a smaller natural area. Both names can help with planning if you would like to include nature in your trip to Wevelgem, alongside its architectural and cultural attractions.

Wevelgem’s digital walking routes can also help you plan active days: the municipality provides them via RouteYou. The Gent-Wevelgem in Flanders Fields cycling route, at 128 kilometres, is a different type of route. It can also be started in Wevelgem, at the Guldenbergplein car park. The walking routes and this cycling route therefore offer practical but different ways to plan your time outdoors.

Flax heritage and historic buildings

The flax industry is visible in several parts of the townscape. Wevelgem has numerous flax barns, which are often monumental in appearance and shape the streetscape. There are also characteristic “botekoperswoningen” associated with the flax industry. Together, these building types tell the story of local economic and architectural history that extends beyond any single building.

The protected Kasteel Vanackere complex includes two garden pavilions, a berceau and a war memorial. Six information boards in the park highlight places of interest in the municipal gardens. Other buildings add their own historical notes: Kloosterboskapel is a typical wayside chapel, built between 1854 and 1862 and dedicated to Our Lady of Lourdes. Vanbutseles molen is a stone Dutch-style windmill dating from 1850–1851.

Hoeve Kloosterhof also brings together history and landscape. The farm is the former estate farm of the disappeared Guldenberg Abbey. Its surroundings are protected as a village landscape and include a moat, a plane-tree avenue, a walled kitchen garden and meadows. The German military cemetery at Menenwald lies on the border between Menen and Wevelgem, adding another connection to the history of the area.

Wine, beer and coffee experiences

Several visitor experiences offer different ways to explore local flavours. At Wijngaard den eik, guided tours of the vineyard are available by appointment and include explanations of winemaking and a tasting. Brouwerij Gulden Spoor offers bookable tours with tastings of its Gulden Spoor, Netebuk and Feniks beers.

Grootmoeders Koffie combines a visit to a coffee roastery with a coffee museum. It also offers coffee tastings and barista training, including how to make cappuccino or latte macchiato. The experiences differ not only in their drinks but also in how they explore each subject: the vineyard and winemaking, beer tasting, or coffee and its preparation. If you are planning a tour, check the dates in advance; visits to Wijngaard den eik are by appointment.

Choose the right holiday apartment for your itinerary

When choosing your holiday apartment in Wevelgem, first consider which side of the town you would like to shape your stay: aviation and architectural history, nature and routes, or visits focused on wine, beer and coffee. Compare your planned destinations with the specific location of your accommodation, and when planning your routes, bear in mind the difference between the digital walking routes and the 128-kilometre cycling route.

Discover more destinations: Moorsele, Anzegem, Doomkerke, Kuurne, Knokke-Heist, Spiere-Helkijn, Zonnebeke, Beernem.

See the regional travel overview: West Flanders.