Life's pleasures on your doorstep The Oise – a truly great escape
The Oise was once the very cradle of France and still harbours many of its old values and traditions. Here kings and noblemen cultivated an exquisite way of life. With its immense forests, châteaux and cathedrals, half-timbered houses, sporting and leisure activities and meandering rivers, it could be hundreds of miles from Paris... instead of a mere 45 kilometres.
Although not usually seen as a holiday destination, its peace and quiet, its beauty and cultural diversity make the Oise an ideal place for a holiday. The department of the Oise is like a breath of fresh air on the very doorstep of Paris !
Renowned for its builders, the Oise has no less than 3 cathedrals. Gothic architecture literally reached its highest point in Beauvais, whose cathedral boasts the “tallest Gothic chancel in the worldî.
From the château of Chantilly to the imperial palace of Compiègne, not forgetting the imposing castle of Pierrefonds, no less than 300 châteaux were built between the reigns of François I and Napoleon III. Today many of them are home to superb museums. In the Condé museum, housed within the château of Chantilly, is the second largest collection of paintings in France after that of the Louvre !
Defying the march of time, some towns are like living museums. The royal town of Senlis is one such and visitors can tour it by horse and carriage to admire its narrow cobbled streets and stone houses.
The Oise has a number of theme parks of interest to young and old alike. They range from the oldest, the “Mer de sable" (inland desert) to the famous Parc Astérix (2nd largest theme park in France), not forgetting the Parc St Paul very popular with families and young children.
The Oise offers an unending stream of public celebrations, events and shows - horse racing (Prix de Diane Hermès, Prix du Jockey Club), rainbow coloured nights (the Nuits de Feu de l'Oise international fireworks competition), towns that reveal their secrets for a weekend (the Rendez-Vous de Septembre) and the joys of nature (Red Fruit Festival).
The Oise is the green lung of the Ile de France region, with its 120,000 hectares of ancient forests, amongst the loveliest in France. There are twelve forests and no two are alike.
The Oise is the realm of walkers and riders with 13 national hiking trails (Grandes Randonnées) and 12 signposted cycle tracks including the very pleasant one from Compiègne to Pierrefonds.
With over 100 riding schools, a living museum of the horse, 2 race courses and the national stud at Compiègne, the Oise is also the realm of the horse. Why not explore our countryside and try horse riding at the same time in one of our “tourisme équestres dans l'Oiseî centres ?
There are 10 golf courses, including two of the oldest and finest in France.
The cuisine of the Oise is based on natural products, on a certain lightness of touch and a refinement, perfectly symbolised by Chantilly cream. Did you know that this smooth, sweet cream dish was created in 1663 by Vatel, right in the château of Chantilly? You can still try the original recipe at the Hameau in the middle of the château park or at the Capitainerie in what were Vatel's own kitchens.
On the first Sunday of July there is a red fruit festival at Noyon. You can however enjoy local specialities all year round (mushrooms, wild game, fresh water fish...)
Come and shop at one of our many traditional markets selling local produce : water cress, beer, foie gras or Bray Picard cheese.
A host of villages nestling amidst hilly fields in a seemingly timeless landscape.
The Oise is a land of craftsmen who continue the old traditions – pottery in the Pays de Bray (Pottery museum at La Chapelle-aux-Pots), mother-of-pearl in the Vexin Thelle (museum of Mother-of-Pearl and ëTabletterie' at Méru), and brush-making (Brush-making Museum and Mill at Saint-Félix).
At Crépy en Valois archery is still practised as it has been since the Middle Ages and its history is traced in the local Archery museum. Nearby in the green valley of the river Automne, along a 35 km stretch, stand 35 towers – church, chapel and abbey – ranging from the simplest Romanesque through to the most flamboyant Gothic. Further West are villages with ceramic tile covered houses, others with stone and cob houses, the most famous of which is Gerberoy, classed as one of the 100 loveliest villages in France. This old walled town is a delight to walk through with its cobbled, flower decked streets, half-timbered houses dating from the 17th and 18th centuries and 15th century collegiate church. Don't miss its Rose Festival held in June.
Marne
( 51 )
An holyday rental for 200 €
A trip low price
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Tarn
( 81 )
From the Montagne Noire, the southern tip of the Massif Central, to the wide, tranquil plains of the Agout and Tarn rivers, and from the rugged unspoilt Ségala region to the rounded hills of the Vaurais, gateway to the sprawling plains of the Lauragais, the Tarn offers an enormou...
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Destination:
Oise
