De Panne facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
De Panne
La Panne (French)
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De Panne town centre view
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 De Panne
Location in Belgium
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| Country | Belgium | ||
| Community | Flemish Community | ||
| Region | Flemish Region | ||
| Province | West Flanders | ||
| Arrondissement | Veurne | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 23.90 km2 (9.23 sq mi) | ||
| Population
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| • Total | Lua error in Module:Wd at line 1,575: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | ||
| Postal codes |
8660
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| Area codes | 058 | ||
| Website | www.depanne.be | ||
De Panne is a town and a municipality located on the North Sea coast in Belgium. It is part of the West Flanders province. De Panne is the westernmost town in Belgium and shares a border with France. It is a very popular place for holidays and includes the village of Adinkerke.
In 2011, De Panne had about 10,748 people living there. The total area of the municipality is about 23.90 square kilometers. This means about 450 people live in each square kilometer.
Contents
Discover De Panne
De Panne has a rich history and offers many interesting things to see and do. It's a great place to learn about Belgian history and enjoy the coast.
Famous People and History
Many famous people have lived in or visited De Panne. During the First World War, King Albert I and Queen Elisabeth lived here. De Panne was special because it was one of the only parts of Belgium not taken over by German forces during the war.
Another important person, John Aidan Liddell, a brave soldier, also died in De Panne in 1915.
De Panne is also where Leopold I, the very first king of Belgium, arrived in the country. He sailed from England and landed in De Panne on July 17, 1831. Today, you can see the Leopold I Esplanade, which has a statue of him, celebrating his arrival.
Fun Activities and Sports
De Panne is home to Plopsaland, a fun theme park especially for younger children. It was built on the old grounds of Meli Park.
Did you know that the first land yachts used for sport were built and used in De Panne? This happened in 1898, thanks to the Dumont brothers. Land yachting is a sport where you sail across land in a vehicle with wheels and a sail.
Since 1977, De Panne has hosted the Three Days of De Panne cycle race. This is a famous bike race that many riders use to get ready for the bigger Tour of Flanders race.
De Panne's Role in World War II
Before World War II, an undersea telephone line connecting Belgium and England was laid in De Panne. Because of this important connection, De Panne became a key location during the war. It was used as a headquarters for the evacuation of soldiers from nearby Dunkirk. This allowed contact with England during this critical time.
Getting Around De Panne
The main train station for De Panne is in the nearby village of Adinkerke. From there, you can catch regular NMBS trains to Brussels.
While there used to be a train line to Dunkirk across the border, it is not used anymore. However, local buses run from the station to Gare de Dunkerque in France. A group called Trekhaak-73 is working to try and reopen the old railway line.
Belgian Military Cemetery
De Panne has a military cemetery located at Kerkstraat 69. It is about 1 kilometer south of the main church. This cemetery is the resting place for 3,744 soldiers. Most of them are Belgian soldiers who died during the First World War. There are also British soldiers who died in the Second World War buried here. The Adinkerke Military Cemetery is also located nearby.
Images for kids
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Monument to King Leopold I
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Beach and apartment buildings
See also
In Spanish: De Panne para niños
