The departement of Val d'Oise is situated just to the north of Paris, but unlike many of the other areas that surround the capital city, it has managed to retain many of its green spaces, as well as preserving the best of its historic towns and villages. If you are staying in the centre of Paris, and feel the need for some outdoor exercise in the fresh countryside air, then Val d'Oise should probably be your destination. Whether you simply enjoy walking, or prefer more active pursuits, there is bound to be something in the area for you.
The region's main town is Pontoise, a pretty medieval town with some interesting more modern buildings, streets and public squares too. Set on the banks of the River Oise, there are pleasant walkways along the water and it is easy to see why Pontoise became an inspiration for the artist Camille Pisarro. There is a museum dedicated to his works in the town. Just south of the town is the Cergy-Pontoise recreation park, a large open space that is open all year-round for outdoor sports such as hiking, cycling and a variety of ball games. The lake in the park has areas set aside for swimming, while you can also have a go at kayaking, rafting and hydro speeding, an adrenaline-pumping activity where you body board down the rapids instead of travelling down them in a raft. If you're a fan of outdoor or “wild” swimming, then you should also visit L'Isle Adam, the largest river beach in France in the north of Val d'Oise. With old fashioned swimming huts, pools if you don't fancy the water in the Oise and other activities for children, such as mini-golf and a play area., you could quite easily spend the whole day here.
The region around the eastern town of Montmorency has plenty of interesting attractions, while the town itself is also worth a few hours of your time, especially the Rousseau museum which recreates the home of the famous philosopher. To the west is the Montmorency forest, a great place for a hike; a 30 minute round walk takes you to the heart of the forest and the Chateau de la Chasse. The spa town of Enghien-les-Bains still offers spa treatments, if you need to relax after all that hiking, while the Chateau d'Ecouen is home to the National Museum of the Renaissance, featuring hundreds of examples of art from that period.
Looking for self catering holiday accommodation in Val d'Oise? Then below is a selection of gites in Val d'Oise and villas in Val d'Oise that can be rented direct from their owners. You can either click on each listing for further details or you can use our search engine on the left if you are looking for something in particular.
