Discover the Oise
From our hotel in Compiègne
The Oise and Picardy regions are full of treasures, whether historical, cultural or natural. Just 1 hour from Paris, get your fill of fresh air with the must-see destinations and unusual sites. Charming villages, grandiose forests and exceptional castles await you in green settings, including the forest of Compiègne, 3e state-owned forest in France.
A crossroads territory at the heart of the Great War, a strategic department and the last rampart before Paris, the Oise was also the first department to become French again and hosted the signing of the Armistice in Compiègne, which then became the symbol of Victory and Peace. The Clairière de l'Armistice, a quiet place in the heart of the Compiègne forest, suddenly became part of history, symbolising for the whole world the end of hostilities of the Great War, the end of four years of a terrible conflict.
Compiègne
In the heart of the Oise and the great History of France, Compiègne! In the 18th centurye In the 19th century, with the construction of the palace, it became a royal and imperial city. Louis XV, Louis XVI, Napoleon I and Napoleon III succeeded one another, transforming the castle into a place of power. The Emperor's and Empress' Apartments, richly decorated and furnished, have remained as Napoleon I and Napoleon III wished. Before leaving the castle, discover the Rose Garden and the Allee des Beaux-Monts where Napoleon III had a magnificent perspective laid out. In the town, discover the pretty medieval houses, the oldest of which dates from the 15th century.e century: the Vieille Cassine. The Town Hall is also a very beautiful building. Its Gothic belfry has one of the oldest communal bells in France, dated 1303.
The state forest of Compiègne is also a site steeped in history. It was here in 1360 that Jean Le Bon introduced the franc; it was here that Joan of Arc was captured; it was in the Compiègne forest that the Oise region became part of history on 11 November 1918 with the signing of the Armistice (Mémorial de la Clairière de l'Armistice). The forest has been shaped over the years and above all by desires such as the Eugenie road, named after the Empress, wife of Napoleon III, a 13 km long road that links the Palace of Compiègne to the medieval fortress of Pierrefonds.
Pierrefonds Castle
On the edge of the Forest of Compiègne, like Camelot buried in the heart of the Forest of Brocéliande, Pierrefonds Castle towers above the foliage of 14,000 hectares of oak and beech trees. When you enter the courtyard of this feudal castle, you feel as if you were transported to a cloak-and-dagger novel or film. Moreover, this medieval monument occupies a privileged place in the history of the 7e art ("Joan of Arc" by Luc Besson, "Les Visiteurs" with Jean Reno...)
From Louis d'Orléans to Viollet-le-Duc. In the 15th century, Louis d'Orléans, the brother of King Charles VI, had a castle built on the edge of the Compiègne forest in the Oise region, near Paris. Over time, the estate flourished and was the scene of several destructive sieges. In the 17th century, it was completely dismantled, but its ruins remained no less impressive. With the advent of Romanticism and the novels of Walter Scott in the 19th century, the Middle Ages and medieval remains became fashionable. Seduced by the beauty of Pierrefonds, Napoleon I had the ruins bought back but had no time to restore them. It was not until Napoleon III that the castle regained its former splendour. In 1857, he entrusted its restoration to the great architect of the time Viollet-le-Duc.
Soissons
Just 10 minutes from the hotel, Senlis unfolds its centuries of history at your feet. A Gallo-Roman and royal city, the cradle of the Capetian dynasty, it invites you to take a stroll through two thousand years of architecture and history. During your stay: the medieval alleys and the superb private mansions, the Gothic Notre-Dame cathedral, the Royal Castle Park, the Gallo-Roman arenas and walls, the Saint-Vincent Abbey and the medieval rampart, the ecological park on the edge of the Aunette valley...
Around Senlis and Chantilly, the villages of character offer a soft face in the heart of smiling landscapes: Fontaine-Chaalis with its abbey, Mont-l'Evèque which was the summer residence of the bishops of Senlis, Chamant, Courteuil...
Just 20 minutes from the hotel, there is no shortage of playgrounds for families to enjoy themselves and share moments of emotion and thrills. The Parc Astérix, the craziest of the theme parks, gives you a taste of the joys of life as a Gaul, the Parc Aventure de la Vallée des Peaux Rouges offers 6 routes through the trees, the Mer de Sable (the first French theme park) lets you relive the adventure of the Far West.