From an industrial zone to a recreational hotspot

Of all the channels in Ghent, the Coupure is one of the most sought after residential environments in the city. But that wasn't always the case ... Join us on a tour along the attractive watercourse with its many faces.

More about this tour

We go back to 1751. The marshy fields on the outskirts of Ghent are being dug out and the town has a new canal linking the river Lys to the waterway to Bruges (“Brugse Vaart”): this is the Coupure. Along the 1580-metre canal first a lot of mills, factories and industrial buildings are erected, but after that the local bourgeoisie fills the canal banks with imposing country mansions. Those beautiful residences can still be seen, but the strolling gentry has now been replaced by younger and older people walking, jogging or cycling along the magnificent planes and lime trees. Would you like to know more about the industry in former times, the 19th century bourgeoisie and the very green Coupure today? Our guide will tell you all about it.

Practical information