Guide to Oise and Properties in Department 60

Situated just 35kms north of Paris, the Oise department is a popular weekend and vacation getaway for Parisians who come here to enjoy the miles of forests, peaceful countryside walks and magical castles. Oise is in the Hauts-de-France region, it was one of the original 83 departments created during the Revolution in 1790. It borders the departments of Somme, Aisne, Seine-et-Marne, Val-d'Oise, Eure, and Seine-Maritime. By far the most popular destination with locals, holidaymakers and weekenders is the Compiègne Forest, which stretches across 15,000 hectares and has over 100 kms of cycle paths. The cycle route between Saint-Jean-aux-Bois and Pierrefonds is particularly popular with families, not least because it leads to the impressive Pierrefonds medieval castle which has featured in films and TV shows including The Man in the Iron Mask and BBC’s Merlin.  

Another fairytale destination is Chantilly which has its own stunning castle housing one of the largest art collections in France outside the Louvre, with works by Raphael, Ingres and Delacroix. It is a place that is well known to equestrians thanks to its prestigious racecourse and the area around Chantilly has the largest racehorse training community in France. There is even a museum dedicated to horses, the Living Museum of the Horse.

When it comes to beautiful places, visitors to Oise are spoilt for choice. The city of Beauvais is famous for its striking gothic Cathédrale Saint-Pierre de Beauvais and there are buildings dating back as far as the 12th century in the ancient streets around it. Beauvais’s other claim to fame is as the birthplace of fashion designer Hubert de Givenchy, founder of the House of Givenchy.

There are plenty of picturesque towns and villages to discover in Oise, such as Gerberoy, which is widely regarded as one of the most beautiful villages of France. Others of note nearby are Lachapelle and Songeons, whilst a little further south are the quaint historic settlements of  Chaumont-en-Vexin, Reilly and Montjavoult. Weekly markets in these traditional communities are the perfect place to stock up on locally produced fruit and vegetables, Picardy cheeses and cakes with Chantilly cream.