Holiday apartment in Etten-Leur: Van Gogh, windmills and water

The Van Gogh Cycle Route Etten-Leur Zuid leads to five Van Gogh monuments in the centre of Etten-Leur. The Van Gogh Route also includes the Oude Raadhuis, where Vincent van Gogh first registered as an artist in 1881. The Van Gogh Experience uses multimedia to explore the period when he decided to become an artist in Etten-Leur. The Van Gogh Wall additionally displays dozens of drawings that Vincent van Gogh made during his time in Etten. The Van Gogh Experience Garden & Labyrinth includes a fruit avenue, flower strips, a butterfly garden and a frog pond.

Culture

The Sint Paulushofje Museum occupies the entire rear wing of the Sint Paulushofje. It shows how people lived, worked and resided during Van Gogh's time and afterwards. Guided tours cover the historical development of Etten-Leur, the courtyard and its residents.

The Trouwkerkje also combines architectural history with music history. The building is a Rijksmonument dating from 1614 and can be visited during events. Inside is a Jacobus Zeemans organ from 1716. The Van Osch Museum focuses on steam engines and internal combustion engines. They are displayed on selected opening days, when demonstrations are also offered. The museum also includes a large library with old study books and documents.

History

Historic buildings and memorial sites are spread across various themes from the town's history. The Zwartenbergse Molen is a polder windmill unique to Brabant and was built in 1889. It can regularly be visited on Sundays, approximately between 11:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. The Bisschopsmolen was built in 1744 for the Bishop of Antwerp and replaced three centuries-old post mills.

The Korenmolen De Lelie operates as a grain mill at weekends and can then be visited; it has been a municipal monument since 2018. By arrangement, the mill also offers receptions and guided tours for small groups. The Molenroute Etten-Leur passes the Korenmolen De Lelie, the Bisschopsmolen and the Zwartenbergse Molen.

The Moeierboom stands on the Markt, a large-leaved lime tree dating from around 1675. In 2020, it was voted Tree of the Year in Brabant and in the Netherlands. At the Leurse Haven, a statue of Adriaan van Bergen commemorates the place from which his men set out on his peat barge. This vessel is associated with the historic recapture of Breda.

Nature

The Westpolderplas has a dedicated nature reserve for birds with a sand martin wall. A nature island shields this area. Swimming, stand-up paddleboarding and diving are also possible at the same Westpolderplas.

The 3.8-kilometre Het Laarzenpad hiking trail runs through Kelsdonk. The trail crosses bridges and a large wooden platform. This means that Etten-Leur has both a designated trail through Kelsdonk and a sheltered bird reserve at the Westpolderplas.

Water

The Leursche Vaart is navigable for approximately five kilometres from the Mark between Zevenbergen and Zwartenberg towards Etten-Leur. It has been navigable again since April 2001. At De Turfvaart, SUP boards can be rented from WANNAsup. An approximately six-kilometre SUP route leads from the Geerkade in Etten-Leur to the mill in Zwartenberg and back.

Food and drink

De Turfvaart offers a high tea with sweet and savoury treats. In a rural setting outside Etten-Leur, the De Santspuy wine and asparagus farm offers wine tastings. The farm shop at the De Santspuy wine and asparagus farm sells freshly harvested asparagus and a selection of regional products.

Getting there

Van Gogh Etten-Leur is easily accessible by car, bicycle and public transport. Etten-Leur NS railway station is approximately a ten-minute walk away.

More destinations: Etten-Leur, Boxtel, Valkenswaard, Cranendonck, Eersel, Asten, Haaren, Breda

To the overview of destinations in the region: North Brabant.