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Jacques Brel immortalized the West Flanders hinterland; le plat pays, in more than one chanson. This flat land between the North Sea and Bruges is littered with picturesque villages such as Damme, Lissewege, Houtave or Ramskapelle. Idyllic, seemingly godforsaken places with whitewashed houses and messy farmyards. The contrast with the sophistication of Knokke, the belle époque grandeur of De Haan or the bustling seaside resorts of Ostend, Middelkerke and Blankenberge could not be clearer. Photographer Henk van Cauwenbergh has his roots in this multifarious hinterland. It is where he met Jacques Brel as a 16-year-old. A short meeting, but one that left an indelible impression… and now, decades later, results in this impressive photo book. His pictures bear witness to his personal love for chansonnier Brel but also testify to Brel’s love of Knokke, demonstrate how Bruges was dear to him and how the polders around Damme inspired him. Henk van Cauwenbergh captured the iconic places of “his” flat land in his unmistakable style; the Damse Vaart, the polders, the Zwinvlakte, the North Sea beach … Mon Plat Pays is a 200-page-long visual tale with as common thread the many culinary addresses in the region, from authentic eateries to Michelin-starred restaurants.
