Auvers-sur-Oise

A guided walk in the footsteps of the Impressionists

To help visitors find their way around, the tourist office has put up some twenty panels representing different Impressionist paintings in their context. You can follow this itinerary without difficulty, but we suggest you take a walk where you can discover the main life-size paintings while visiting the emblematic places of the town.
Start first with the Notre-Dame d'Auvers-sur-Oise church. Built in stone from the 12th century onwards, it is built on a promontory and topped by a square tower bell tower. It is probably one of the most famous churches in the world and visitors from all over the world come to admire it, because of the famous painting by Van Gogh which immortalized it, and which can be admired at the Musée d'Orsay.
Then head for the cemetery. This is where the famous Vincent Van Gogh is buried. His grave is against the left wall of the cemetery. If you don't spot it, follow the many visitors, chances are they are looking for the same thing as you! The artist was buried there after he died on 30 July 1890 from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. His brother Theo, who was present at his death, died six months later. His body was transferred from the Netherlands in 1914 and is also buried in this cemetery. Both graves are covered with a carpet of ivy and are of monastic simplicity.
200 metres from the entrance to the cemetery, you will see a sign in a field. It is a reproduction of the painting "The Wheat Field with Crows" that Vincent Van Gogh painted on this very spot. A little further on, on the main street, don't miss a stop at the small Van Gogh park. In the centre of the square you can see the statue of the painter made by the sculptor Zadkine in the early 1960s.
Continuing along the main street, you will come to the Ravoux Inn, better known as the "Van Gogh House". On May 20, 1890, the painter Vincent Van Gogh stayed at this inn run by the Ravoux couple. He stayed there for 70 days until his tragic death, surrounded in his last moments by his brother Theo. During his stay in Auvers, Van Gogh painted about one canvas a day. The room has never been rented since his death and can be visited with emotion. In the attic of the house, an audiovisual montage from the Van Gogh Institute traces the links between Auvers-sur-Oise and the artist (old postcards, images of paintings, extracts from texts...).
Then visit the Daubigny Museum, which presents paintings, watercolours, drawings and engravings from the 19th and 20th centuries, including works by Charles-François Daubigny (1817-1878), one of the precursors of Impressionism, and the first artist to settle in Auvers-sur-Oise. You can also see works by members of the Barbizon school such as Millet, and lesser known impressionists. Then go to the museum of absinthe, a drink very popular with Van Gogh and the impressionists. This herbal spirit was banned for consumption in 1915. It was a lecturer at Jussieu, passionate about the history of absinthe, who transformed his country house into a museum.
You will then arrive at the castle of Auvers-sur-Oise. Built in 1632, it is now home to a show entitled "Journey to the time of the Impressionists". Equipped with an infrared audioguide, you will wander through sets recreating Parisian scenes that inspired 19th century artists. Then, you continue your interactive visit by means of numerous dynamic screens, via an immersion in a tour called "Vision Impressionniste".
To finish this tour, visit the Maison Gachet. Doctor Paul Gachet, who was also an art collector, settled in Auvers-sur-Oise in 1872. He regularly received artists there, including Pissarro, Cézanne and Van Gogh, whom he welcomed when he arrived in Auvers in 1890. As a token of friendship, the artist painted a portrait of him that has become very famous - see it at the Musée d'Orsay.
Also, during your walk, don't miss the beautiful medieval remains of Auvers-sur-Oise such as the Porte des Colombières which leads to the Manoir des Colombières, the building that houses the Musée Daubigny. Don't forget to take a look at the pretty little medieval bridge near the church.

Visits around Auvers-sur-Oise

After spending a day, or an afternoon, visiting Auvers-sur-Oise, you'll know the whole story of Van Gogh and the Impressionists at your fingertips, but the region has much more to offer. That's why we recommend exploring the area around Auvers-sur-Oise, where you'll discover lush greenery and towns with a beautiful heritage.
Among the nearby towns, Pontoise, the historic capital of the Vexin, is worth a visit for its flamboyant Gothic cathedral of Saint-Maclou, its ramparts, its picturesque streets and its Pissarro museum.
Not far from Auvers-sur-Oise, Saint-Ouen-L'Aumône is another town to be discovered. The town is made up of the former boroughs of Saint-Ouen and L'Aumône, which were separated for a long time by different royal estates. Divided into large districts, it has a modern urban environment and beautiful heritage sites: the medieval church, the 17th-century Château d'Epluches, the Le Nôtre park and the Cistercian abbey of Maubuisson, founded by Blanche de Castille.
Another possibility for a stroll: Mery-sur-Oise and its castle. To get there, go to the left bank of the Oise after crossing the bridge from Auvers-sur-Oise. You will discover a magnificent 17th and 18th century castle in the heart of a 27 hectare park. The castle is not open to the public, apart from a few seminars, but you can visit the gardens which are open all year round.
Finally, nature and walking enthusiasts can also have a great time around Auvers-sur-Oise. They can continue their visit to the Val-d'Oise by taking the GR 1 hiking trail, which passes through Auvers-sur-Oise and leads to the French Vexin plateau, L'Isle-Adam and the Oise valley.