The Leopold I Esplanade marks the spot where Belgium's first king came ashore in July 1831, beginning a dynasty that continues today. A monument on the promenade commemorates the landing, making this a tangible piece of Belgian national history in what is otherwise a beach resort.
The esplanade itself is the town's main seafront promenade, running above the wide beach and giving long views north over the North Sea and west toward the French coast. In summer it is busy with families, cyclists, and the electric beach trams that run the length of the Belgian coast. In winter, when the crowds have gone, it has a bleaker but more atmospheric quality.
The beach below the esplanade is among the widest in Belgium — at low tide the sand stretches hundreds of metres out. Beach volleyball, windsurfing, and sand-yachting (sand yachts are popular here, taking advantage of the firm flat sand) all happen here in the warmer months.