Sint-Flora Castle (De Moeren, Veurne, Belgium)
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General information about Sint-Flora Castle
Sint-Flora Castle, also sometimes known as Sinte-Flora Castle, is not exactly one of Belgium's most attractive castles today. The reason it is included in our list of cherished objects is because it played a role in Belgian history: for one year, it was the official residence of King Albert I and Elisabeth.
Sint-Flora Castle in the period 1851-1914
Wikipedia has this to say about this period: "In 1851, the current country house was built in neoclassical style. The owner was Gustavus Carolus Collette Dumaisniel, Viscount of Wattignies. A distillery was established , which was merged with the transverse barn after 1871."
Sint-Flora Castle during World War I
When the Germans invaded Belgium at the end of 1914, only the area behind the Yser remained unoccupied: both De Panne and Veurne were therefore "free."
Although stories about this often circulate, the decision to flood the Yser plain at the end of October 1914 was not taken in Sint-Flora. The Belgian military headquarters was located elsewhere at the time.
King Albert I, King of the Belgians, and Queen Elisabeth lived in this castle for a while. This was during the First World War , starting on August 16, 1917. Until then, they had been staying at Villa "Maskens" in De Panne. Because De Panne was increasingly targeted by Allied and German artillery fire in 1917, making it less safe to establish a royal residence on the coast, it was decided to move to this castle in De Moeren.
In wartime, monarchs and military leaders regularly relocate their residences for the following reasons:
1) operational or security reasons,
2) better accessibility to staff and allies, and
3) to be able to function discreetly away from busy frontline locations.
However, on July 31, 1918, they moved back to Villa "Maskens" in De Panne. In total, the royal couple stayed at Sint-Flora Castle for almost a year.
King Albert I received many prominent figures at Sint-Flora Castle. However, they never stayed overnight. One example was the Italian King Victor Emmanuel III on September 29, 1917. The castle covers approximately 1,500 m² and has around twenty rooms. There are two large halls, one of which has a large table that can seat no fewer than 64 people. The east wing once also housed a gin distillery.
Did you know that...King Albert I also stayed in another castle in the region towards the end of the First World War? That was in Beauvoorde Castle. And while we're on the subject of castles and kings: around the time of the liberation, more specifically on October 24, 2018, this royal couple will take up residence in Loppem Castle (see the Castle Route).
Sint-Flora Castle during World War II
It was the Belgians who flooded the Yser Plain in 1914, and in 1944 the Germans did the same with De Moeren. The castle grounds were also flooded. The salt water had a number of consequences for the fauna and flora there: several beautiful trees in the English castle grounds died. The land could not be cultivated for years due to the effects of the salt. Sint-Flora Castle during World War I
The flooding of De Moeren during World War II
During World War II, Sint-Flora Castle was located in the middle of the De Moeren polder area, which was deliberately flooded twice. Both floods occurred in different military contexts and were carried out by different parties.
In May 1940, at the start of the German invasion, French and Allied forces resorted to a classic defense strategy in the Westhoek: opening sluices and drainage channels. By letting in fresh water, the terrain around De Moeren was made difficult to traverse for the advancing German troops. This temporarily isolated Sint-Flora Castle. Roads and surrounding land were flooded, which severely limited accessibility and daily use.
In 1944, during their retreat and in preparation for an Allied breakthrough, the German occupiers flooded the area again. This time, seawater was let in as part of a large-scale defense strategy along the coast and the polders. This second flooding had much more serious consequences. The salinization of the soil caused long-term damage to agriculture and also affected the landscape surrounding the castle. The restoration of the park and its surroundings took several years after the war.
Although Sint-Flora Castle did not suffer severe war damage, it did have to contend with:
temporary isolation, moisture problems in cellars and outbuildings, and overdue maintenance due to war conditions.
The castle thus remained a silent witness to how water was used as a weapon of war in the polder landscape.
Sint-Flora Castle in the 21st century
The castle was sold in 2004 for €850,000 to an Antwerp-based company, which invested around €1.3 million in renovations. It was then temporarily used as a tobacco shop for English tourists. However, this venture failed miserably and the building stood empty for eight years.
In 2011, the location was used as a film set for the English TV drama series "Parade's End, " an extremely expensive series about the English aristocracy during World War I. Around 170 people settled on the estate for this purpose. It was a co-production between the BBC and HBO miniseries. More information and photos can be found on the website "De Bliedemaeker" or wo1.be . Incidentally, the series was also filmed at Poeke Castle.
Later, in 2015, the castle estate was sold for just €675,000 to Edgar Vileyn (and his wife Rosita Vanhove), operator of the former Camping Ramon, which closed in 2010. He renovated it together with his son Nicky Vileyn van Hove, an interior designer. Several catering events took place there.
Since the death of the father on November 26, 2023, at the age of 74, things have slowed down somewhat: the website is no longer active and it has been a long time since any posts were made on Facebook and Instagram. It can still be visited by appointment and it is also possible to stay overnight.
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Tip 1: For those who would like to sleep where King Albert I once slept... you can rent a room here (see booking.com, for example). The guest reviews aren't that great, but it might be cool to have stayed in the same place. For the experience, so to speak. 😉 You can also go to booking dot com to see some photos of the interior.
Tip 2: If you would like to see more photos of the interior, please visit riebedebie.be.
Tip 3: Not far from there, you will find the recently restored Beauvoorde Castle (where King Albert I also stayed) and the beautiful St. Charles Mill.
Tip 4: In the immediate vicinity, you will also find the authentic farmstead "De Akkermees." A film location like this is a must-see.
Geographical information
Address: Kasteellaan 3;4, 8630 Veurne, West Flanders, Flanders, Belgium
Geographic coordinates:
– Google Maps: Latitude = 51.0408878 – Longitude = 2.6136121
– OpenStreetMap: Latitude = 51.040973 – Longitude = 2.616184
– Altitude h = 1 m
Location of Sint-Flora Castle on:
Tourist map of Top.Vlaanderen – Google Maps – OpenStreetMap.
Route to Sint-Flora Castle: Route via Google Maps
Meteo
20°C
| Day | Condition | Temperature | Precipitation | Rain Chance | Wind | Humidity | Pressure |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Today
9:00 p.m.
|
 cloudy
|
19° | 21°°C | 0 mm | 0% | 10 Km/h | 80 % | 1021 mb |
|
Tomorrow
9:00 p.m.
|
 slightly cloudy
|
15° | 21°°C | 0.06 mm | 6% | 15 Km/h | 92 % | 1022 mb |
|
Sat, May 26
9:00 PM
|
 light rain
|
15° | 18°°C | 0.2 mm | 20% | 24 Km/h | 84 % | 1016 mb |
|
Sun, May 26
9:00 PM
|
light rain
|
13° | 20°°C | 1 mm | 100% | 18 Km/h | 91 % | 1016 mb |
|
ma jun 26
21:00
|
light rain
|
14° | 18°°C | 1 mm | 100% | 29 Km/h | 98 % | 1009 mb |
| Hour | Condition | Temperature | Precipitation | Rain Chance | Wind | Humidity | Pressure |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Today
9:00 p.m.
|
cloudy
|
14° | 18°°C | 0 mm | 0% | 10 Km/h | 80 % | 1021 mb |
|
Tomorrow
12:00 AM
|
cloudy
|
16° | 18°°C | 0 mm | 0% | 5 Km/h | 88 % | 1022 mb |
|
Tomorrow
03:00
|
partly cloudy
|
15° | 15°°C | 0 mm | 0% | 7 Km/h | 92 % | 1022 mb |
|
Tomorrow
06:00
|
slightly cloudy
|
20° | 20°°C | 0 mm | 0% | 6 Km/h | 82 % | 1021 mb |
|
Tomorrow
09:00
|
slightly cloudy
|
21° | 21°°C | 0 mm | 0% | 4 Km/h | 70 % | 1021 mb |
|
Tomorrow
12:00
|
slightly cloudy
|
21° | 21°°C | 0 mm | 0% | 14 Km/h | 71 % | 1020 mb |
|
Tomorrow
3:00 PM
|
 partly cloudy
|
20° | 20°°C | 0 mm | 0% | 15 Km/h | 69 % | 1019 mb |
|
Tomorrow
6:00 PM
|
partly cloudy
|
18° | 18°°C | 0 mm | 0% | 13 Km/h | 72 % | 1017 mb |
Online information about Sint-Flora Castle
Sint-Flora Castle:
Website (not active?) – Facebook – Instagram – Wikipedia (NL)
Agency for Immovable Heritage: Database
Westhoek Verbeeldt: Database
Histoires Royales: article (in French)
WTV: report (December 22, 2016)
Wikipedia information about:
– TV drama series"Parade's End"(NL – FR – EN)
Tourist Office “Visit Veurne”:
Website – Facebook – Instagram
Tourism Westhoek (Westtoer)
Website – Facebook – Instagram
Our photos of Sint-Flora Castle
Our photos, videos, etc. are all (c) 2004-2026, Top.Vlaanderen, Belgium. They may not be copied or used without permission. If you would like to use them for a project, please contact us in advance and we will see how we can work together. If you would like us to photograph your own tourist attraction, B&B, vacation home, etc., that is also possible. Please contact us via our contact form .
Photos from the visit on February 8, 2026
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