The spacious villa that is La Maison du Docteur (The Doctor’s House) today, dates back to 1958. At that time, the ambitious Lambert Segers – inhabitant of nearby Ypres – saw a great deal of potential in the touristic assets of this hilly bordering area and he cherished great plans, especially for the Zwarteberg.

Under his impulse a pack of diligent Tyroleans with their Swiss know-how and precision built the skyline cableway (telefric), the majestic guesthouse "Tirolerhof" and also this particular building with a real mini-golf as an extra attraction. During the construction work, the energetic Segers came to eat his sandwiches almost daily in the kitchen of the adjacent Meuleberghoeve, together with Paul and Josma Vandermeersch, my grandparents. They drank their coffee, discussed the weather and the work and watched the steady metamorphosis of ' their ' hill (Mont Noir) with big eyes...

In 1962 their young son, who was my father Frans Vandermeersch (°1944) began running the mini-golf after his military service in Germany. In this way our family continued to keep in close contact with the nearby residence...

In the mid 60’s, the country house was granted a new destination as Café Crystal, the new owners of which also exploited a busy cable car and minigolf. At that time the Zwarteberg was a tremendous hit and drew busloads of tourists on a daily basis.

In 1982, Doctor Pierre Dewulf bought the residence and had it renovated for private use. As a passionate gardener, he conjured the surrounding terrain into an idyllic garden and an oasis of green tranquillity, where he came to enjoy his free time up to 2018.

That same year we seized the opportunity to buy this magnificent domain, so our family history and background is back on its track again. We turned the place into a charming holiday home for 6 people and named it “The doctor’s House” (La Maison du Docteur).

We are delighted to welcome you! After your stay here – short or long – you will undoubtedly return to your own home with an unforgettable experience.

Fancy a bet?

David Vandermeersch – Rebecca Declercq
Kobe & Mats