The Westhoek (literally Corner of the west ) is a transborder area belgo - French in the Province of Flanders-Western (Région Flemish) and the Département of North (area Nord-Pas-de-Calais), located between the the North Sea, the Lys and the Aa. For the French part, corresponding more or less to the District of Dunkirk, it is about the only French area where one still usually speaks the Flemish . Westhoek (French) belonged to the French Flanders.

The French Westhoek is subdivided in three natural areas: the Blootland or Flemish maritime plain, the Houtland and the Flat of the Lily.

Westhoek gradually became French between 1659 and 1678 because of the annexation of the châtellenies of Bourbourg, Bergues, Cassel and Bailleul. The châtellenies of Furnes and Ypres were also annexed in France during this period, but they were yielded to the Netherlands Austrian south in 1713 at the time of the Traité of Utrecht. the North Sea with Bailleul, the border did not evolve/move almost any more since. It cuts Westhoek in two equal parts.

In fact, the new political border was not a cultural or linguistic border, and for this reason in Flemish here, one names the border of State of schreeve (< means-Flemish: screve “milked, stroke of the pen” cf Woordenboek der Nederlandsche Taal). There are always important transborder exchanges, although the use of the Flemish strongly regressed in the French part.

“Westhoek” is a recent name. It however indicates a territory having real specificities, so much from the point of view of the language (the Flemish Westerner, history, mentalities, architecture, geology…

Natural reserve

The natural reserve of the Westhoek , at the border between the Breakdown in Belgium and Bray-Dunes in France, consists of dunes rich in fauna and flora.

External bond

• Tourist bureau of Belgian Westhoek

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