Guide to Val-d'Oise and Property in Department 95

Discover Val d'Oise - Houses & Lifestyle in Val d'Oise

Val-d'Oise is one of France's 93 metropolitan departments, situated in Île-de-France. It was established in 1968 when Seine-et-Oise was divided. The department is named after the Oise River, which flows from northeast to southwest through the area and is a right tributary of the Seine River. In the eastern part of Val-d'Oise lies the Pays de France, an area with fertile plains traditionally used for growing cereals and sugar beet, thanks to its rich, silty soils. This region's size has been shrinking as Paris's urban area expands. Surrounding Val-d'Oise are Hauts-de-Seine to the south, Yvelines to the southwest, Eure to the west, Oise to the north, Seine-et-Marne to the east, and Seine-Saint-Denis to the southeast.

Cergy-Pontoise: The New Administrative Capital 

Although the official préfecture of the department is Pontoise, located in the suburbs of Paris, about 28 kilometres northwest of the city centre, the préfecture building and administrative offices are located in the neighbouring commune of Cergy. Cergy-Pontoise, created from 13 communes, is the new administrative capital that has quadrupled in population since the 1960s.

Charles de Gaulle Airport: A Key Landmark

The department hosts Charles de Gaulle Airport, which is partly in Roissy-en-France, a commune in Val-d'Oise. Other sections of the airport are in Seine-et-Marne and Seine-Saint-Denis. The southernmost area of the department forms the Seine Valley and includes the entire Vallée de Montmorency.

Cultural and Historical Heritage

Val-d'Oise boasts a rich archaeological and historical heritage, but it is not a tourist destination often visited, perhaps overshadowed by the French capital. However, the department has several interesting places to visit, including La Roche-Guyon. This place features a castle atop a rocky hill and a twelfth-century château. L'Isle-Adam is another historic small town in the department, situated on the banks of the River Oise.

Impressionist Legacy in Auvers-sur-Oise 

Auvers-sur-Oise owes its international fame to its landscapes and the impressionist painters who immortalised them, including Charles-François Daubigny, Paul Cézanne, Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot, Camille Pissarro, and Vincent van Gogh. Enghien-les-Bains is a spa resort with a hot, sulfuric spring on the site of what was once Lake Enghien. Écouen features a fine château that houses the Musée de la Renaissance.

Key Information about Val d'Oise (95)

• Main City/Prefecture: Cergy-Pontoise
• Nearest Airport: Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport
• Population: Around 1.26 million (as of the latest census)
• Area: 1,246 sq. kilometres and 481 sq. miles
• Landmark: Auvers-sur-Oise, the final resting place of Vincent van Gogh and an inspiration for many of his paintings.
• Number of Tourists/Year: Approx. 2 million, drawn by its artistic heritage, forests and historic towns.

Property Prices in Val-d’Oise in 2026

• Houses: the average price per sq. metre: €3,203 (April 2026)
• Apartments: the average price per sq. metre: €4,104 (April 2026)
• Price trends: -4% over the last 12 months, +15% over the last 5 years (Le Figaro - April 2026)

House Prices in the Main Towns in Val-d’Oise in 2026

• Average House Price in Argenteuil: €3,256 per sq. metre (April 2026)
• Average House Price in Cergy: €3,093 per sq. metre (April 2026)

(source: Le Figaro)

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