Oise and Vexin loop

This loop follows the Avenue Verte London-Paris route. There are indeed two variants to connect Paris and London by bike. The two combined variants then form a loop of almost 300 km. Alternating greenways and low-traffic roads, it is signposted Avenue Verte London-Paris in both directions.

A loop rich in both natural and cultural heritage, follow the guide!

From Cergy-Pontoise to Chaussy

Just outside the Cergy-Pontoise urban area, you enter the Vexin français Regional Nature Park also classified as Land of Art and History. You go up the Aubette valley crossing the village of Vigny whose castle is a marvel of Renaissance architecture. In Théméricourt, the Vexin français Regional Nature Park House is an opportunity for a break (or even a nap in the grass ;), you will find a local products shop and the Vexin français museum there. Then pass the aptly named Wy-dit-Joli-Village whose tool museum houses a forge and a Gallo-Roman spa before arriving at the Villarceaux estate, a jewel of the Île-de-France heritage with remarkable gardens.

From Chaussy to Saint-Germer-de-Fly

After leaving Chaussy, you join the greenway of the Epte valley at Bray-et-Lu. The Epte river is the guiding thread of this stage with a pleasant greenway set on an old railway. It winds between Eure and Val d’Oise and takes you peacefully to the town of Gisors, capital of the Norman Vexin. An old medieval town, wrapped in the mysterious legend of the Templar treasure, it has kept prestigious monuments starting with its impressive castle. Beyond Gisors, you take a pleasant hilly small road following the meanders of the Epte. Immerse yourself in the colors, landscapes or monuments that inspired many Impressionist painters, notably Pissarro. In Saint-Germer-de-Fly, don't miss the Abbey Church, former Benedictine abbey.

From Saint-Germer-de-Fly to Agnetz

It is at Saint-Germer-de-Fly that the two variants (Oise and Normandy) of the Avenue Verte London Paris converge. Leave the direction for London (that will be for another time!) to follow that of Beauvais by the greenway set on an old railway. Numerous gaps through rows of trees and shrubs reveal fields and pastures in varied colors. The route then offers varied and bucolic landscapes: ponds, beautiful farms or cottages and passes near the famous painter André Van Beek's garden. Change of scenery and serenity assured. In Beauvais, another stop is essential to discover notably the Saint-Pierre cathedral, an unfinished Gothic masterpiece. Following the Thétrain valley, the route goes through countryside that was the garden of the Bishops and Counts of Beauvais, leading you to the stunning Saint-Ouen church of Therdonne, perched above the fields, then to Bresles castle, an old royal summer residence. Crossing the Hez-Froidmont state forest allows you to reach Agnetz.

From Agnetz to Chantilly-Senlis

Soon after Agnetz, enjoy a stop in Clermont to discover the charms of the old town perched on its motte, before discovering a whole different environment, that of the vast wetland of the Sacy marsh (RAMSAR site). Located between the Oise valley, the Picard plateau and the rugged relief of the Clermontois, this fragile ecosystem is particularly protected. Your journey then leads you to the heart of the Oise-Pays de France Regional Nature Park, an emblematic territory of the landscape atmospheres of the south of Oise. The towns and forest massifs crossed share a heritage from French history: Royal Abbey of Moncel in Pontpoint, Gallo-Roman enclosure and Senlis Cathedral, forests of Chantilly and Halatte, Chantilly Castle, Potager des Princes... A stage particularly appreciated by history enthusiasts and nature lovers.

From Chantilly to Cergy-Pontoise

Leaving Chantilly by small roads through the Oise Pays de France Regional Nature Park, you rejoin Val d’Oise. In Asnières-sur-Oise, don't miss the timeless Royaumont Abbey. Continue your route and reach the banks of the Oise in Beaumont-sur-Oise. With its developed banks and beach, the small town of l’Isle-Adam is the perfect place for a well-deserved break. The Oise then leads you to the village of Auvers-sur-Oise, town of the Impressionists. Legendary village, Auvers-sur-Oise is indeed still marked today by the presence of Van Gogh, Cézanne, Pissarro, Daubigny... through museums, studios, monuments and landscapes.

Along the Oise, you will pass at the foot of the fortifications of Pontoise, a town of art and history before continuing your discovery of the Cergy-Pontoise urban area through the natural areas of the Bois de Cergy and the market gardening plain.