The Forest of Compiègne,

With prestigious monuments, picturesque villages, a bountiful natural environment, landscapes of water and forest, places of memory, the Compiègne region in the Oise department offers a wide array of cultural, leisure and sport activities.

The Forest of Compiègne, the third largest state-owned forest after the Forests of Orléans and Fontainebleau, with its high forests, its glens, its marshland and its villages such as Saint-Jean-aux-Bois with its 13th century abbey and its fortified gate. 

A royal creation, traversed by 900 km of geometric paths, from the 6th century onwards it was the favourite hunting grounds of the rulers of France and then the French aristocracy under Napoleon III. The Forest of Compiègne is also the place where Joan of Arc was captured and where the Armistice ending the First World War was signed at 5 am on 11th November 1918. The Glade of the Armistice is a memorial site and houses and a museum with 3D visualisations.

Lovers of history should also visit Noyon, near Compiègne. As you wander through this old town, you’ll discover spectacular remnants of its rich past, including the cathedral and its religious district, as well as the town hall and the museums. This is the place where Saint Medardus and Saint Eligius were once bishops, where Charlemagne and Hugh Capet were crowned, and where John Calvin was born.

For more information, take a look at the Compiègne Tourist Office website.