The De Normandie Hotel and Restaurant, located on the border between Oostduinkerke and Koksijde in West Flanders, stands out for its unique modernist architecture shaped like a ship. Originally built as a beach hotel in the 1930s, this building reflects a rich history marked by French influence and fierce local competition.
Galerie photos
Velvet, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Wim Bladt, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
History
The building traces its origins back to 1933, when the Goetmaeckers-Carly family wanted to open a restaurant but lacked the financial means to do so. It was ultimately the artist Robert Buyle and his brother-in-law Simon who built the first boat-hotel, named “La Péniche,” and leased the establishment to the Goetmaeckers-Carly family. Very quickly, Buyle and Simon realized the venue’s potential, particularly thanks to a wealthy clientele—mainly French industrialists—and decided to manage the establishment themselves.
Due to the growing success of “La Péniche,” the owners chose not to renew the operators’ contract after three years, in order to directly reap the profits generated by the French clientele. Faced with this situation, the Goetmaeckers-Carly family, with the support of their clients, decided to create a competing establishment with a ship theme, inspired by the success of the French ocean liner Normandie.
Architect Jean Combaz was initially hired to design a large-scale project. However, site constraints forced a reduction in the plans. Ultimately, the Bruggeman brothers, municipal architects, took over the design, transforming the building into a structure explicitly shaped like a ship. Despite some criticism, this distinctive architecture has become an icon of the Belgian coast.
Recognition and Protection
After years of decline, the building was restored and converted into a restaurant and tea room, receiving the prestigious “Vlaamse Monumentenprijs” in 2007 for its preservation.
In 1994, De Normandie, along with its former rival La Péniche, was designated a protected monument, reflecting its importance to the region’s architectural heritage.
