As the name Slachthuisstraat suggests, there used to be a slaughterhouse on this spot. In World War I, the slaughterhouse was destroyed but rebuilt again, along with the houses next to it. Later, Hotel Ariane was built on the site of the slaughterhouse. At the back of Ciepers Lodge you can still see the wall with the arches in it, it continues over some houses (No. 54 and No. 52). This wall is still a remnant of the original cold room. Just before the slaughterhouse is the street Veemarkt, not illogically close to the slaughterhouse. A former meat trader lived in this house until the 1990s. Then my parents bought the house and renovated it, preserving many authentic elements such as the high doors, the staircase and the wooden floor.

Because of the many windows and the beautiful location on a corner, it did not take much to turn the house into a cozy vacation home. The house is bathed in light all day and thanks to the authentic interior doors, the old staircase and wooden floors, there is instant atmosphere. In 2018, during the weekend of the cat parade in Ypres, the house was rented out for the first time. It was therefore very appropriately named after the parade's main giant cat: Ciepers. During that parade, the family of Ciepers and Minneke cat was also introduced for the first time. Accordingly, our 5 bedrooms were named after the kittens of Ciepers and Minneke: Neko, Snoezie, Mimi, Bas and Bert.

In daily life I am a veterinarian and thus very much involved in the welfare and health of cats. It is therefore not surprising that our vacation home is named after a cat. Ypres is widely known as 'cat city'. We therefore like to do something special for people with a cat. If you can't miss your cat during your vacation, you can bring it along. We are prepared for it! For families with children, the story of the Ypres giants Ciepers and Minneke will be further developed. Discover the adventures of the cats of Ypres at Ciepers Lodge!