Nestling in the peaceful, picturesque Oise valley is the village of Auvers-sur-Oise, which welcomed and inspired many famous artists, including Van Gogh, Cézanne, Corot and Daubigny.
Fans of walking and art should make a point of following the painters' trail, dotted with illustrated information panels, in the steps of the Impressionists who were responsible for making the local scenery famous! Symbolic places along the route include the church and stairway at Auvers, immortalised by Van Gogh, and the house of the hanged man, painted by Cézanne.
Other attractions worth seeing include the artist's studio (now museum) Maison-Atelier de Daubigny and garden, both listed historic monuments; Ravoux Inn, where Van Gogh lived the last two months of his life; Dr Gachet's House, a memorial site dedicated to contemporary engraving; and the statue of Van Gogh sculpted by Zadkine.
The graves of Vincent Van Gogh and his brother Théo lie in the cemetery in the upper part of the village.
The Château d'Auvers-sur-Oise, built in the 17th century and surrounded by beautiful formal gardens, is home to a multimedia exhibition called Voyage au Temps des Impressionnistes that takes visitors on a journey in time to the Impressionist era, the late 19th century.
