Today we decided to take a tour through Knokke. And not just an ordinary tour – O noooo, you know that we do not do ordinary 😊, but an ‘ART Tour’.
The morning sun and the holiday atmosphere puts me in an instant ‘holiday’ modus. At the ‘Lichttorenplein’ or the ‘pink square’ as we know it, awaits us a 100% electric city mobile. Almost as cool as the luxury golf carts that are so typical ‘Knoks’.
Our first real stop is at the hotel ‘La Réserve’, where we are greeted by 2 striking art works on the driveway and a welcoming committee of five sculptures in the entrance hall. The real surprise however, is on the terrace, where we enjoy the view of Panamarenko’s ‘waving crabs’ and where we are spoiled by a fresh glass of rosé, yummy Vitelli tonato and a tasty cup of gazpacho.
Our guide talks enthusiastically about art and has a real passion for Knokke. He explains us about the symbiosis between art and architecture, between past and present. Art can be not only beautiful, but also meaningful, like Jeremy Deller’s colourful chameleon on Van Bunnenplein, whose red tongue provides all children with endless ‘slide’ fun! Knokke even boasts to create art on a plate!
Once again in the city mobile, we whiz silently through the charming ‘old part’ of Knokke, towards Luc Peire’s atelier in the Judestraat. Although the name ‘atelier’ may not do justice to the visitor’s experience here. Luc Peirce evolved from expressionism to spiritualism with a special focus on vertical movement and balance. A visit to the small but fine exhibition, garden and bungalow in Knokke-Heist is an almost spiritual experience today, with the highlight undoubtedly being the optical art mirror room where I seem to float in an infinite space.
The route to our next culinary stop is my favourite. We cross the residential districts of ‘Le Zoute’ that, with their stately villas and green, fashionable character, are (at least in my eyes) part of the beauty of Knokke. We make our second culinary stop at Hotel St. Pol, a nice family hotel with a cozy, artistic garden. We were spoiled with sweets: a cherry Bomb, a lemon sorbet that tasted heavenly and a delicious Misérable.
Our last stop is the Dominican church. And where I have passed the picturesque white-red church tower countless times, until now I never took the time to admire its interior. Now that I do, I suddenly find myself in a real oasis of peace in the heart of Knokke-Heist. Both the courtyard and the church itself are enchanting in their simplicity and serenity. A beautiful moment of reflection, and one last sweet indulgence with artisanal pralines from chocolatier Neuten to conclude this beautiful ART Tour – in every sense of the word.
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