Jutland: Where the Sea Meets the Wind

When you think of Denmark, you probably picture Copenhagen and its Little Mermaid. But this country holds so many other curiosities. As spring began, we set off to discover Jutland, the Danish region that extends from the European continent just north of Germany.

Day 1

We flew directly from Paris to Billund Airport, a central hub for exploring the region. It’s home to the Legoland park, which we planned to visit the next day. For our first day, we headed west toward the North Sea. Forests of conifers and deciduous trees alternated with large farms and impeccably kept villages. Numerous wind turbines dot the landscape, some standing alone to power individual farms, others part of large wind farms. After just over an hour of driving, we arrived in the village of Sondervig, located in the municipality of Ringkobing, tucked between the sea and the Ringkobing Fjord. We received a warm welcome and quickly settled into an apartment at the Danland holiday center. To be fair, tourists are still few and far between in this small seaside resort at this time of year. The center proved to be great value for money, at least in early April; it’s likely a much noisier spot in the summer.

We took advantage of the sunny late afternoon to head to the beach, which is hidden by the dunes that shield the village from the North Sea winds. From the top of these dunes, you can see wind turbines, and the long sandy beaches are perfect for a stroll.

But don't linger on the beach too long, people here eat dinner early, even at the pizzeria!

Day 2

Back to Billund to visit the Legoland park, a fun spot for families. You’re greeted by outdoor reconstructions of landscapes and monuments made of Lego bricks: the Eiffel Tower (naturally!), but also old windmills and even an offshore wind farm (a Danish staple) complete with its installation barge.

But Legoland also features more "thrilling" rides for kids and adults alike, not necessarily inspired by colorful bricks. And, of course, there are the gift shops, which aren't always easy to avoid!

Day 3

While those looking to kick back preferred to spend their morning at the Danland aquatic center, others headed off to visit the Poul La Cour Museum in Askov. Since the 1980s, Denmark has been a pioneer in wind energy, and Poul La Cour, an engineer from the late 19th century, is considered the "official" forefather of these "modern windmills." However, this volunteer-run museum isn't exactly geared toward the general public.

The afternoon was dedicated to visiting small coastal towns, starting with Thorsminde, situated between the sea and the Nissum Fjord, a port where many amateur anglers wait patiently with their fishing rods, while fish dry on lines in the open air.

Then we headed to Hvide Sande, south of Sondervig, between the sea and the Ringkobing Fjord. It’s another small port where we spotted three Vestas wind turbines, the main Danish manufacturer of these machines.

Day 4

A long walk on the beach and through the dunes of Sondervig. The beach is all about the sand, but it’s hard to compete with the sand sculpture festival that takes place here every summer! Behind the beach lie the dunes: the vegetation is rich, but it needs protection from the trampling of many tourists and wind erosion.

Although this beach is cheerful today, it still bears the scars of World War II. Of the roughly fifty bunkers along this coastline, about a dozen are visible here, even as they slowly sink into the sand. It brought to mind the recently released film "Land of Mine," about the young German soldiers sent to clear mines from Danish beaches after the war.

For lunch, we picked up a few things at the supermarket to sample different types of pickled herring, a Nordic specialty that’s hard to find in tourist-trap restaurants!

Then, a quick visit to Ringkobing, with its charming, quiet historic center, where Easter eggs were sprouting on the still-bare trees. The afternoon ended at the Sondervig bowling alley, whose restaurant served the few tourists present at the very start of the season.

Day 5

Departure toward Herning. We stopped by the Ringkobing Fjord to enjoy the tranquility of the site one last time, with its small, impeccably white-painted Protestant church and trees sculpted by the western winds. A pedestrian and bike path runs along the fjord.

Herning is the region's major city, but it’s an industrial hub with a center that doesn't hold much interest. We left without regret to reach Billund Airport, passing by the factories of major wind turbine manufacturers like Vestas and Siemens (formerly Bonus).

Four days is short, so this was just a glimpse of Denmark, and Jutland in particular. Plenty of other sites deserve to be seen.