Philips and Eindhoven go hand-in-hand. But the city and surrounds also have a lot more to offer - as many expats have already discovered.

Expats find the area quieter than the major cities of the Randstad, and the community tends to be fairly tight-knit.

The City's Coat of Arms

Most expats live in the villages that surround this industrial city, although the centre of Eindhoven is popular with those looking for apartments.

Eindhoven railway station is close to the centre of the city, and its airport is about 3km away.

Central Eindhoven

Here are apartments and penthouses — plus hotel-apartments for short stays — popular with single expats and couples without children.

The apartments are on the large side with two bedrooms, and are fairly expensive.

But people living in the centre have plenty of facilities, including a shopping mall and scores of international restaurants.

The international primary and secondary schools are in the city, and many expats living in Den Bos and Tilburg send their children there.

Nuenen

Van Gogh's birthplace has become a popular expat habitat. This characteristic Dutch village about 3km north-east of Eindhoven has many detached houses on 1,000 sq metre plots.

The village is popular with expat families, and children are able to cycle to the international schools in Eindhoven. A car-pooling system for the school run is also in operation.

This compact village has restaurants and a shopping centre, plus a nearby golf course. There is a good road connection with Eindhoven and further afield.

Veldhoven

Bigger than Nuenen, and almost part of Eindhoven itself, Veldhoven is stocked with houses mostly built in the past 20-30 years. These detached properties are slightly smaller than those in Nuenen.

Well situated for the international schools, Veldhoven has a large, new shopping centre and plenty of restaurants. The Philips campus is right here.

Waalre

There are some gorgeous — but more expensive — villas to be had in parts of Waalre, in the forest that surrounds the area.

These larger houses sometimes have swimming pools and two bathrooms, and sit in up to 3,000 sq metres of land.

Popular with top executives and their families, this old village has plenty of shops and restaurants. It's also next door to the Philips campus.

Son en Breugel

Philips Tower: the company that put Eindhoven on the map

Expats used to steer clear of this area until the A50 highway was built, bypassing the village.

Son has excellent transport facilities thanks to the A50 towards Nijmegen — indeed, there are several villages close to the highway that are popular with expats.

The village itself has detached houses popular with families. It is 3km from the city centre.

[Copyright Expatica 2005]

Subject: Where to live in the Netherlands