Great War Centenary ACCESSIBLE FOR ALL 1 2 Flanders Fields formed the dramatic backdrop for some of the bloodiest battles of the First World War for four long years. One hundred years after WWI broke out, the region’s land- scape still tells the story of the war. It is home to hundreds of monuments and cemeteries that hold great historical significance for people all over the world. We created this brochure in collaboration with the accessibility agency of Flanders, Inter, and the West-Flanders Province. We hope it helps visitors with a disability or need for care to prepare a daytrip or holiday in the Westhoek. The brochure contains all aspects of an accessible journey or daytrip: inform- ation and reception, cafes and restaurants, sites, museums, public services, transport, assistance and care… Do you wish to read the story behind the remembrance of the Great War? Visit www.flandersfields.be of www.visitflanders.com. 3 INTRODUCTION BEFORE YOU START ...........................................p.5 1. How to use this brochure .................................p.5 2. Costomized trave advice ................................... p.7 3. Not to be missed ...................................................p.8 P. 13 FLAndERS FIELDS in 48 HOURS ..............p.9 SOUTHERN WESTHOEK ..................................p.10 1. Ypres and surroundings ................................... p.12 2. Poperinge .................................................................p.23 3. Zonnebeke ................................................................p.28 4. Heuvelland, Wervik and surroundings ......p.32 P. 9 P 37 EVENT: 1917 TOTAL WAR in FLAndERS June 2017 – December 2017 ...................................p.37 P 42 NORTHERN WESTHOEK ................................p.40 1. Diksmuide ................................................................ p.42 2. Veurne ........................................................................ p.46 3. Koekelare, Nieuwpoort and surroundings .......................................................... p.49 HOLIDAY ACCOMMODATIONS ................ p.55 NURSing, ASSISTANCE AND MOBILITY AIDS ON HOLIDAY .............................................. p.58 TRANSPORT And PARKing ....................p.60 P. 51 EXTEnd YOUR viSIT TO FLAndERS FIELDS wiTH A TRIP TO THE FLEMISH COAST OR BRUGES ........................................... p.61 P. 60 P. 61 4 A. HOW TO USE THIS BROCHURE? Our information is based on objective expert descriptions, you can decide for yourself which inspections on the spot. Some of the locations locations are more or less suitable or which were added based on tips and good experiences preparations you can make to make it work. of people with disabilities. We do not claim that all listed initiatives are autonomously wheelchair accessible. We made a selection of the more accessible businesses and facilities in the Westhoek. On the basis of the 1 / Accommodation, information offices and visitor centres For accommodation and information offices VISITFLANDERS has developed accessibility labelling: The label A means that we con- sider the building to be basically The label A+ means that the building accessible; that it can be used by is accessible in a comfortable and most people with limited mobility, A+ independent way. A but that it is possible that extra effort or a helper is required. Learn more about the accessibility labels? Navigate to www.visitflanders.com/accessibility 5 GREAT WAR CENTENARY \ ACCESSIBLE FOR ALL Learn more about a building? For detailed information and some accessibility related pictures of a holiday accom- modation, you can take a look in our accommodation brochure via www.visitflan- ders.com/accessibility > Brochures. 2 / Cemeteries, attractions and musea Since no label yet exists for cemeteries, monuments, musea etc., the accessibility agency of Flanders, Inter, has de- veloped the “W” symbol specifically for this project. The “W“ weighting gives an idea of the degree to which a site is accessible for independent wheelchair users: Accessible Accessible with Accessible with help Not wheelchair independently assistance and extra efforts accessible Together with the detailed descriptions, the symbols show to what degree a certain attraction or parts of the attraction are accessible to visitors with limited mobility. They also indicate which obstacles you can encounter or where you might possibly need a helping hand. This brochure also contains a small number of initiatives that did not obtain one of these labels, but we believe that some people with a (physical) disability can experience them to a certain degree. If an attraction or museum has amenities for visitors with a visual, hearing or learning disability, this is also stated and indicated by means of the following headings: Facilities for people with Facilities for deaf or Facilities for visitors with visual impairments hearing impaired persons a learning disability 6 3 / Public toilets, pubs and restaurants Using the thumb system for the most important measurement data and the detailed pictures of the modified toilets you can decide if a cafe, restaurant or toilet is suitable for you. This informati- on was recently updated (May 2016). Because of continuous changes in restaurants, cafes and toi- lets, it is however still possible that some information may be out of date. We therefore recommend you contact the business before your visit. If you note that a location has been moved, renovated or closed, you can notify this fact to the Flemish accessibility agency Inter at [email protected] or +32 (0)50 40 73 73. n.a. accessible accessible with this is an access not applicable assistance problem CUSTOMIZED TRAVEL ADVICE Where can I find holiday accommodation to meet my needs? Which museums provide a tactile experience or have audio information? Where can I find a restaurant where it will be safe to eat with a gluten allergy? Which travel firms take my special needs into account? Which coach companies have a vehicle with a wheelchair lift? Flanders wants everyone to get the best welcome: young and old, with or without limitations or care needs, etc. VISITFLANDERS is happy to help you with your holiday or getaway if you have special needs or wishes. Contact us for free and independent travel advice: Grasmarkt 61, 1000 Brussels +32 (0)2 504 03 40 [email protected] www.visitflanders.com/accessibility 7 7 ComingWorldRememberMe: cross-border and cross-generational NOT symbol of peace TO BE During the commemoration period from 2014 to 2018, people all over the world can follow workshops entitled Coming World Remember Me to jointly MISSED mould 600,000 sculptures out of clay: one sculpture for each victim that perished on Belgian soil during the First World War. In 2018, at the end of the commemoration period, each of the sculptures will be brought together in a land-art installation in the Provincial Domain De Palingbeek in Ypres as a reverent remembrance. Do you also want to take part in this one-of-a-kind project? It takes just fifteen minutes to produce a sculpture and there are various locations where you can do so until 2018. Want to find out where you can produce a sculpture? Go to http://www.comingworldrememberme.be/en. Want to find out where you can produce a sculpture? www.comingworldrememberme.be/en www.flandersfields.be/en/do/car-trails Discover the Westhoek by car Westtoer has developed the “First World War car routes in the Westhoek” applicati- on. The app takes the visitor along important sites where the First World War played out. The app is richly illustra- ted with numerous historic documents, photos and texts and introduces you to a num- ber of figures that share their experiences. It is possible to follow several planned routes (such as the No Man’s Land car route) or to compile your own route based on a list of Preparing for your daytrip or holiday in personally selected points of interest. You can find the rele- the Westhoek is made even easier with vant accessibility information for each POI under the info the AccesSEAble app! symbol. Are you preparing for your daytrip at home or are you already at your holiday destination? Through a personalized profile, this app shows you accessible The app is available cafes and restaurants, landmarks, attractions and public services near you free of charge from that meet your needs. You can search by name, region, city or type of buil- ding. Every location is been provided with information on the most important the App Store and on measurement data, detailed pictures of the entrance and the adapted toilet. Google Play. Download the app through Google Play, App Store or Windows Phone Store. Learn more: www.visitflanders.com/en > Accessibility >Things to do > Flanders Fields 8 FLANDERS FIELDS NOT IN 48 HOURS TO BE MISSED POPERINGE ZONNEBEKE YPRES DAY 1 1 2 3 4 P. 12 P. 14 P. 14 P. 13 IN FLAndERS FIELDS Site JohN Mc Crae/ SAInt-ChARLES Last Post/ MUSEum ESSEX FARM CEMETERY DE POtyzE MENIN GATE DAY 2 P. 25 P. 28 P. 29 MEMORIAL MUSEUM TynE COT CEMETERY TALBOT HOUSE PASSCHENDAELE VISITOR CEntRE 9 SOUTHERN WESTHOEK YPRES 1 AND SURROUNDINGS 2 POPERINGE P. 12 P. 13 P. 23 IN FLAndERS FIELDS CONDEMNED CELLS AND MUSEum LAST POST - MENIN GATE SHOOTIng SPOT P. 14 P. 14 P. 25 P. 24 SITE JOhn MCCRAE LIJSSEnthOEK MILITARY ESSEX FARM CEMETERY SAInt-ChARLES DE POtyzE TALBOT HOUSE CEMETERY 10 KOEKELARE VEURNE DIKSmuIDE KORTEMARK HOOGLEDE ALVERIngEM HOuthuLST STADEN LO-RENIngE VLETEREN LAngEMARK- POELKAPELLE ZONNEBEKE POPERINGE YPRES HEUVELLAND WERVIK MESEN Vlaanderen Brussel