This Van Gogh cycle route starts in the city centre, close to the five Etten-Leurse Van Gogh Monuments: the Van Gogh Church, the location of the former Dutch Reformed presbytery, the former sexton's house, the Old Town Hall and the Lambertuskerk. The Van Gogh Church is definitely worth a visit. In the Binnentuin (near the statue) and on the Market Square (Moeierboom) there are informative audio columns.

The special thing about this route is that you pass several hundred pollard willows from the street 'Achter de Vaart'. Vincent van Gogh loved these characteristic trees. He drew a lot and - later in France - also painted. Sometimes from his memory of Brabant. Pollard willows had a deeper meaning for Van Gogh. They took on an almost human dimension.

About halfway along the route (cycle junction 41) you can make an extra loop towards Zevenbergen. At Vincent's former boarding school (Stationsstraat 16) there is an audio column. The route goes over sand and clay, through forests and polders, past old farms and hard-working farmers. So you see what Vincent saw too.

[Quote]

"I see in all nature, e.g. in trees, expression and, as it were, a soul. A row of pollard willows has something of a procession of orphans sometimes. The young choir can have something unspeakably pure and soft, which arouses such emotion as the expression of a sleeping child, for example."

(Vincent van Gogh in a letter to his brother Theo, Etten, October 1881)

Cycle a bit to...
Please note: not all sights in Etten-Leur and the surrounding area are directly on this cycle route. You have to deviate a bit from the route for:

• Vincent's former boarding school in Zevenbergen

How does the Van Gogh cycle route work?
The Van Gogh cycle route is set out via the Brabant junction system. Under each junction sign you will find a Van Gogh cycle route sign. Simply follow the Van Gogh cycle route signs from one numbered junction to another. Between the nodes you follow the signage of the junction system.

Cycle route app
Tip: cycle this route with the Fietsroute app from Fietsnetwerk. Put the app on your mobile phone and open the 'Van Gogh cycle route Etten-Leur Noord'. The app guides you along the cycle route. Along the way, see drawings, paintings, and read about Vincent's life. Download the Cycle Route app for free in the App Store or Play Store.

Routes hotline
Is there something wrong with the signage or the route? Report this via the Brabant Node Routes Hotline. You can also call 0800-4050050 (toll-free).