Kortrijk — known as Courtrai in French — is a compact Flemish city on the Leie River, about 40 kilometres southwest of Ghent and close to the French border. It punches above its weight: for a city of around 80,000 people, its historic centre is remarkably well-preserved, with medieval towers, a beautiful béguinage, and a fine Gothic church still anchoring daily life.
The city's most famous moment came in 1302, when a Flemish peasant militia routed a French cavalry force at the Battle of the Golden Spurs — one of the great upsets of medieval warfare, celebrated ever since as a symbol of Flemish identity. For centuries Kortrijk was also known for its linen, grown from flax retted in the Leie and woven into cloth that went out across Europe. The textile tradition has given way to design and technology industries, but the river and the old core retain their character.
It is not a major tourist destination, and that is part of its appeal. The crowds that descend on Bruges are nowhere to be seen here. Kortrijk rewards a half-day or full day from Bruges or Ghent, or an overnight stop for those exploring Flemish Belgium slowly.