About Bodelaeke

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About Bodelaeke

BODELAEKE, WATERFRONT VILLAGE IN GIETHOORN WITH ALL MODERN CONVENIENCES

A bit of history

We would like to take you back in time for a moment...
Where there is now the Beulakerwijde, the largest lake in Giethoorn, there was once the village of Bodelaeke. Like Giethoorn and all the other small water villages in the area, it originated in the 15th century as a settlement for peat laborers. The name literally means 'Little house (Bode) by the water (Laeke)'. There were only a few houses. The inhabitants of the village made their living from intensive peat extraction in the area. In 1775, a major storm caused the end of Bodelaeke. The urge to extract more peat and more quickly to meet the ever growing demand caused people to take risks. The narrow strips of land where people laid the excavated peat to dry and on which the workers lived became increasingly narrow. The storm smashed the land strips, and the water was given free rein. Only two houses and the church survived the disaster. However, these, too, were lost to flooding in 1825 after another storm surge.

A wonderful source of inspiration

This sliver of rich history was a wonderful source of inspiration for the designers in developing Water Resort Bodelaeke. In front of the resort, a small lake on the shores of National Park Weerribben – Wieden was reclaimed for the creation of the peninsulas that are so distinctive. On which the former Bodelaeke was also built. The architecture of the houses shows a mix of ecological architecture with building materials traditionally used in this area, such as wood, thatch, brick, and Dutch roof tiles. The 8 different house types have the color variations: black, ochre, brick red, and ice blue. This variety of building styles in a high quality give the holiday resort the unique appearance of a genuine modern water village.

Bodelaeke more than a resort

Bodelaeke is an iconic project for Giethoorn that consists of several components. When you drive from Zwartsluis along Beulakerweg toward Giethoorn, you will see this beautiful extension of Giethoorn on the left. In addition to the previously mentioned Water Resort Bodelaeke with 191 luxury recreational homes, plots of land have been issued, where there are now over 30 dream homes, built for permanent residence. At the Van de Gootplantsoen just before the entrance to the Water Resort, another 8 detached water villas for permanent residence have been built.

Restaurant & Camper Resort Bodelaeke

The main building of Bodelaeke is located at the entrance to the Water Resort. A special feature is that the Restaurant and the reception are open to the public. This allows a large audience to enjoy the large sunny terrace with panoramic views of the private marina with 39 berths and the 15 colorful boathouses. The restaurant is therefore also a popular stop or starting point for visits to National Park Weerribben – Wieden by land or water. Bodelaeke covers several square kilometers with plenty of nature and a private lake. On the south side of the Water Resort, the park is completed by Camper Resort Bodelaeke. This full-service RV site has 99 semi-paved sites with views of the water on all sides.