Editing De Panne

{{Infobox Belgium municipality
|name             = De Panne
|namefr           = La Panne
|picture          = P1100853 Centre ville De Panne.JPG
|picture-legend   = De Panne town centre view
|map              = De Panne West-Flanders Belgium Map.svg
|map-legend       = Location of De Panne in West Flanders
|arms             = BE DePanne COA.svg
|flag             = De Panne vlag.svg
|region           = {{BE-REG-FLE}}
|community        = {{BE-NL}}
|province         = {{BE-PROV-WV}}
|arrondissement   = [[Arrondissement of Veurne|Veurne]]
|nis              = 38008
|pyramid-date     =
|0-19=
|20-64=
|65=
|mayor            = [[Bram Degrieck]] (Het Plan - B)
|majority         = Het Plan -B, ACTIE, [[New Flemish Alliance|N-VA]]
|postal-codes     = 8660
|telephone-area   = 058
|web              = [http://www.depanne.be/ www.depanne.be]
|coordinates      = {{coord|51|06|N|02|35|E|region:BE|display=inline,title}}
}}

'''De Panne''' ({{IPA|nl|də ˈpɑnə|-|Nl-De Panne.ogg}}; {{langx|fr|La Panne}} {{IPA|fr|la pan||}}) is a town and a [[Municipalities of Belgium|municipality]] located on the [[North Sea]] coast of the [[Belgium|Belgian]] province of [[West Flanders]]. There it borders [[France]], making it the westernmost town in Belgium. It is one of the most popular [[resort town]] destinations within Belgium. The municipality includes the village of [[Adinkerke]]. On 1 January 2011, De Panne had a total population of 10,748 on a total area of 23.90&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>, which gives a [[population density]] of 449.7 inhabitants per km<sup>2</sup>.

==Miscellaneous==
{{more citations needed|section|date=December 2023}}
Famous people who have lived or died in De Panne include [[Albert I of Belgium|King Albert I]] and [[Elisabeth of Bavaria, Queen of Belgium|Queen Elisabeth]], and [[John Aidan Liddell]], VC, who died in De Panne in August 1915.<ref>https://www.newmp.org.uk/person/ja-liddell-1915/</ref> The Belgian royal family lived in De Panne during the [[First World War]] because it was located in the tiny fraction of their country that was not conquered by the Germans.

De Panne is home to [[Plopsaland]], a theme park aimed at young children and located on the former grounds of [[Meli Park]]. De Panne was also the place where the first [[land yacht]]s intended for sport were built and used by the Dumont brothers in 1898. On 17 July 1831, [[Leopold I of Belgium|Leopold I]], the first Belgian king, sailed to [[Calais]] from England, and arrived in Belgium in De Panne.  The Leopold I Esplanade, which includes a statue of him, commemorates his arrival.

Since 1977, the town has hosted the [[Three Days of De Panne]] cycle race, which is held in the run up to, and traditionally used by riders as preparation for the [[Tour of Flanders]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/three-days-of-de-panne-fighting-for-its-place-in-classics-calendar |title=Three Days of De Panne fighting for its place in Classics calendar |last1=Ryan |first1=Barry |date=2 April 2014 |website=[[cyclingnews.com]] |access-date=3 April 2014}}</ref>

De Panne was the site of a Belgium-England undersea telephone line laid by Siemens before the war, and therefore was used as Gort's headquarters for the evacuation of nearby [[Dunkirk]] to allow contact with England.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://atlantic-cable.com/CableStories/Hook/index.htm |title=George H.J. Hook & Herbert G. Hook and the 1926 cable sections |access-date=7 February 2024}}</ref>

==Transport==
De Panne Railway Station is located in nearby [[Adinkerke]]. There are regular [[NMBS]] trains to [[Brussels]]. The line across the [[border]] to [[Dunkirk]] is out of use. DK Bus run buses from the station forecourt to [[Gare de Dunkerque]].<ref>{{in lang|fr}} [http://www.dkbus.com DK Bus website]. Accessed 10 December 2023.</ref> A cross-border campaign group [https://www.trekhaak-73.be/ Trekhaak-73] is seeking to re-open the railway line.

==Belgian Military Cemetery of De Panne==
The cemetery is located at Kerkstraat 69 in De Panne, 1&nbsp;km south of the church. Besides Belgian soldiers who died in the First World War there are also British soldiers who died in the Second World War. 3,744 soldiers have been buried here.<ref>[https://inventaris.onroerenderfgoed.be/woi/relict/747 Description of the architecture and history of the Belgian military cemetery of De Panne], onroerenderfgoed.be. Accessed 10 December 2023. (in Dutch)]</ref> Nearby is [[Adinkerke Military Cemetery]].

==Images==
<gallery>
File:Lucien Frank--La famille royale à la Panne--oil on panel.png|[[Lucien Frank]], ''The Royal Family at De Panne'', by 1920.
File:Lucien Frank, Residence of King Albert I of Belgium during WWI in De Panne, painted 1915.png|[[Lucien Frank]], Residence of [[King Albert I of Belgium|King Albert I]] during [[WW I]], 1915.
Image:DePanne Leopold I.jpg|Monument to [[Leopold I of Belgium|King Leopold I]]
Image:De Panne Dunes et plage.jpg|Beach and apartment buildings
</gallery>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}

{{wikivoyage}}
*[http://www.depanne.be Official website] - Information available in [[Dutch language|Dutch]] and limited information available in [[French language|French]], [[English language|English]] and [[German language|German]]

{{Geographic location
|Centre = De Panne
|North     = ''[[North Sea]]''
|East      = [[Koksijde]]
|South     = [[Veurne]]
|Southwest = [[Ghyvelde]] ([[France|FR]]-[[Nord (French department)|59]])
|West      = [[Bray-Dunes]] ([[France|FR]]-[[Nord (French department)|59]])
}}
{{bct}}
{{Municipalities in West Flanders}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:De Panne| ]]
[[Category:Municipalities of West Flanders]]
[[Category:Seaside resorts in Belgium]]