Are you planning a short break or weekend around Paris and wondering what to do in the Val d'Oise?
Looking to get away not too far from Paris (within 100 km due to COVID restrictions), yearning for nature, escape, and the chance to discover charming little villages and beautiful castles… Then look no further: You'll find all of this in the Val d'Oise, all around the Vexin Normand ! It's an ideal destination from Paris for sightseeing and breathing in the fresh air of stunning natural surroundings.
Yes, but what is there to do in the Val d'Oise? Where are the most beautiful tourist sites in the Vexin Normand ? How can you visit them in 2 days or over a long weekend?
These are the questions I asked myself when I organized my tour to visit the Vexin Normand and take the opportunity to discover Auvers sur Oise and Giverny , emblematic places for 19th century painters.
So here I'm sharing with you one of the most beautiful getaways near Paris, perfect for a weekend or even just a day trip. Below, I've also included the itinerary for the most interesting tourist route, complete with a Google map , my reviews of the sites, and my favorite Airbnb finds.
Why the Val d'Oise?
Val-d'Oise is a department of Île-de-France located north of Paris. It is a very attractive territory because it includes two regional natural parks and a very rich tourist and cultural heritage (villages, castles, gardens, museums…), not to mention good restaurants which know how to delight the most demanding gourmets!
As you've probably gathered: Less than 100 km from Paris , the Val d'Oise has everything to appeal to travellers, sports enthusiasts, nature lovers, walkers, history buffs and art and painting enthusiasts…
How to visit the Val d'Oise?
Given the rich tourist appeal of the department, when organizing a weekend or a short tourist trip in the Val d'Oise, it is best to be organized and plan everything in advance.
That's why I've selected only the most beautiful sites for my tour , and those closest to each other, so that you can visit them in 2 days or more for the luckiest!
What to do in the Val d'Oise - My essentials
Based on my tastes and desire for discovery, here are the tourist sites I have selected as essential stops for my tour in the Val d'Oise :
- Auvers sur Oise
- Gisors
- Castle Boury
- Chateau d'Alincourt
- Magny-en-Vexin
- Domaine d'Ambleville
- Domain of Villarceaux
- Giverny
- La Roche Guyon
- Route des Crêtes
What to do in Val d'Oise - Map Itinerary
Click on "More options" in the map to switch to GPS mode
What to do in Val d'Oise - DAY 1
The first stop on my weekend trip is 35 km north of Paris in Auvers-sur-Oise, in the village and countryside that inspired so many painters…
Visit of Auvers sur Oise - Morning
How to get to Auvers sur Oise from Paris
By car or train:
- From Gare du Nord, line H: Join Valmondois then transfer to Auvers sur Oise;
- From St Lazare station, line J: Join Pontoise then change to line H for Auvers sur Oise;
- By RER C: Join Pontoise, then change to line H for Auvers sur Oise;
- By RER A: Direction Cergy le Haut then get off at Cergy-Préfecture + bus n ° 9507.
What to do in Auvers sur Oise?
Auvers sur Oise owes its tourist renown to Vincent Van Gogh who stayed there for 70 days, died there and was buried there.
It is here that he painted some of his most famous canvases such as Cornfield with crows, the hillsides of Cordeville, Maisons in Auvers sur Oise, Rue Callé in Auvers sur Oise, the Portrait of Dr Gachet or The Church. d'Auvers.
But Auvers-sur-Oise also inspired many other renowned painters such as Paul Cézanne and Camille Pissarro. Visiting Auvers-sur-Oise is therefore a way to follow in their footsteps and immerse oneself in the landscapes they so beautifully captured!
Interactive map in the footsteps of the painters of Auvers sur Oise
Here is the interactive map generously shared by the website: https://www.auvers-sur-oise.eu/
Castle of Auvers-sur-Oise
A 10-minute walk from the station, this castle is the essential museum in Auvers sur Oise. It houses a scenic route that transports visitors to the second half of the 19th century at the time of Van Gogh and the Impressionist painters.
in the magnificent formal gardens bordering the Château d'Auvers.
Van Gogh route from Auvers sur Oise
I recommend following a walking tour of approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes in the footsteps of Van Gogh. This route, which takes about an hour and a half to complete on foot, leads to the places painted by Vincent Van Gogh. The tour begins at the Church of Our Lady of the Assumption, immortalized by Van Gogh the year of his death, and passes by the cemetery where his grave is located.
You can also visit the house where the painter stayed: the Auberge Ravoux . His room has been preserved intact, and the inn's dining room has also retained its original decor.
Other routes are offered by theSaint-Martin Tourist Office (Aubigny route, Illustres route, Impressionists route, etc.) and even a hike towards Pontoise “the path of the painters” which will take you
leads into the beautiful surrounding countryside.
If, like me, you enjoy tours following in the footsteps of the Impressionists, discover my road trip in Normandy which combines classic tourism and cultural tourism.
Gisors stopover for noon
For lunch, I suggest a 45-minute drive to Gisors . It's a pretty little town dominated by a fortified castle that's well worth a visit. After a quick stroll through the village, you can enjoy a pleasant setting by the Epte River while having your lunch.
I recommend you go to the Brasserie de l'Hôtel de Ville . Simple but well-prepared dishes, a warm welcome, and affordable prices!
In the heart of Vexin in the afternoon
After lunch, my route takes us in 10 minutes by car to the Château de Boury . It is an elegant castle known because it was once occupied by Richard the Lionheart.
8 kilometers further on, you will pass through Parnes where the magnificent Château d'Alincourt is located , a medieval castle that is privately owned.
5 kilometers later, you will arrive in Magny en Vexin in the heart of the Vexin Regional Natural Park.
The bravest can try a treetop adventure course at Parc Aventure Land , located in the heart of the forest, or go hiking (see hiking starting from Magny en Vexin ).
Airbnb Magny en Vexin
To spend the night near Magny en Vexin, I recommend a very nice Airbnb accommodation. This is a small old house from 1620 but well equipped in a quiet location in the small village of Nucourt in the heart of Vexin Normand.
See this Airbnb in the Normandy Vexin
What to do in Val d'Oise - DAY 2
This second day of my weekend in the Vexin allows me to discover magnificent estates and castles and to return to the time of the Impressionist painters with the visit to Giverny, the house of Claude Monet and its magnificent gardens.
On the road to Giverny
On the 40-minute drive from Magny en Vexin to Giverny , you will have the opportunity to discover two beautiful estates that deserve a few photos:
- Le Domaine d'Ambleville which includes a superb Renaissance castle and beautiful gardens of Italian inspiration organized on three terraces. Listed as an historic monument, the gardens of Ambleville have received the label " remarkable garden »;
- Le Domain of Villarceaux located in Chaussy. At the crossroads of the roads that lead to many Vexin châteaux (fortified castles and resort castles), this area is interesting to visit for:
- The manor house :
- Ninon's pavilion
- The Saint-Nicolas tower and the medieval terrace
- The parterre on the water
- Ninon's mirror
- The castle says "from the top"
- The farthingale
- The main courtyard
Visit of Giverny
It is very easy to visit Giverny because you just have to follow the signs of the cultural trail to make a short circuit where impressionist views are indicated while discovering the history of the village.
Then, if you have time, you can visit the Museum of Impressionisms or continue the walk to Claude Monet's grave.
Finally, I recommend the unmissable visit to Giverny: The famous house of Claude Monet where he lived from 1883 to 1926 and its magnificent gardens which so inspired the artist and which are still maintained exactly as Claude Monet had designed them.
Route of the Vexin ridges
To enjoy breathtaking panoramas on the meanders of the Seine, the limestone plateaus and the dazzling colors of the Vexin fields, you can take a beautiful hike on the heights of the rocky cliffs.
Located in the heart of the Vexin Français Regional Natural Park , the starting point is La Roche-Guyon , which is classified among the most beautiful villages in France (see below).
Visit of La Roche-Guyon
It is one of the most beautiful villages in the Val d'Oise. La Roche-Guyon is located below the slopes of the Vexin plateau on the bank of a meander of the Seine.
This village is renowned for its castle (owned by the La Rochefoucauld family) which is built against a chalk cliff and whose medieval keep has withstood the test of time.
Where to sleep in La Roche Guyon
To spend the night in the heart of this charming village, here is a good guesthouse address that you can book with Booking:
See this apartment in La Roche Guyon
Any other weekend getaway ideas in France?
Why not another weekend around Paris?
or head south with my cheap weekend in Marseille
Or why not a nice weekend in Occitanie!