A statue of Merijntje Gijzen stands in front of the A.M. de Jong Museum; the Merijntje Gijzen cycling route can also start at the museum. For a visit with literary and film-history connections, Nieuw-Vossemeer offers a tangible introduction to the village’s history—and a cycling route whose theme extends beyond the museum.

Literature and places of remembrance

The A.M. de Jong Museum has a permanent exhibition about the life and work of the writer A.M. de Jong. The museum also preserves his intellectual legacy. De Jong was born in Nieuw-Vossemeer on 29 March 1888. The exhibition and biographical connection thus draw attention both to the man and to his work.

Three information boards at different locations in Nieuw-Vossemeer offer another historical perspective. Each board has its own QR code, which visitors can scan to read what exactly happened at that location during the 1953 North Sea flood. The boards connect the flood story to specific places: each location determines which events are highlighted.

Cycling and walking

The Merijntje Gijzen cycling route is about 39 kilometres long and runs through the Land van Merijntje Gijzen. It can start at the A.M. de Jong Museum, in front of which stands the statue of the novel’s protagonist. The route also passes places where outdoor scenes for the 1973 television series “Merijntje Gijzen’s Jeugd” were filmed. Those interested in the character will find a connection to the series’ filming locations as well as to the museum. The route’s length also provides a useful guide when planning a cycle tour.

Another option for exploring on foot is the circular “In de Boezem van de Eendracht” walking route. It starts in Nieuw-Vossemeer and follows the water, through woodland and over dykes. The two routes described here therefore differ in both form and theme: the cycling route focuses on Merijntje Gijzen and the filming locations, while the circular walk takes in the landscape.

The polders of Nieuw-Vossemeer and De Heen also shape the character of the regional landscape. Their features include waterways, reed beds, fields, orchards and tree-lined banks. The landscape thus encompasses both cultivated land and areas of water and reeds. This variety adds a distinct landscape perspective to the area’s culture and local history.

Mills and village history

Molen De Vos was built in 1714 and is considered the first stone mill in West Brabant. At Molen Assumburg, by contrast, its origins and relocation tell the story of its development: it was built as an oil mill and comes from the Zaanstreek region. It was built in Assendelft in 1780, then moved to Nieuw-Vossemeer in 1897 and rebuilt there as a gallery-type grain mill. The two mills therefore have different historical points of interest: De Vos is notable for its construction date and regional significance, while Assumburg is notable for its relocation and reconstruction.

The year 1567 is an early reference point in the village’s founding. That year, the lords of the Ambachtsheerlijkheid Vossemeer granted the first hereditary farmsteads to establish a new village. The Protestant Church, a hall church dating from 1654, is also part of the local architectural history. A concert series called “Cultuur in het kerkje” began at the church in 2015.

Discover more nearby destinations: Steenbergen, Steenbergen, Dinteloord, De Heen.

View the broader travel guide: Steenbergen.