It was Vincent van Gogh that drew me to Auvers-sur-Oise, France. His story. His paintings. Auvers-sur-Oise his last stop. Surely following in the footsteps of Vincent van Gogh would be one of the best things to do in Auvers-sur-Oise.
When you arrive in Auvers-sur-Oise France, only 27 km (17 miles) northwest of Paris, it is easy to see why Vincent van Gogh fell for this picturesque village situated on the French river Oise. He loved Auvers sur Oise so much that he described it to his younger brother Theo in a letter as “seriously beautiful.”
In Auvers-sur-Oise, France, van Gogh tapped into his incredible source of creative inspiration and completed 80 paintings in seventy days. The vibrant colours and dynamic brushstrokes of his paintings captured the beauty and energy of the surrounding landscape, while also reflecting his own emotional turmoil.
Vincent van Gogh arrived in Auvers-sur-Oise on May 20, 1890, after leaving the asylum in Saint-Rémy de Provence in the south of France. Auvers-sur-Oise, France proved to be van Gogh’s final place of inspiration and sadly, where he took his own life on July 29, 1890.
Vincent van Gogh’s spirit feels close as you explore all the things to do in Auvers-Sur-Oise France. Standing in the wheat fields or behind the church, it is not hard to imagine van Gogh studying the landscapes, paintbrush in hand, creating his masterpieces.
Walk in his footsteps and discover the best things to do in Auvers-sur-Oise.
How To Get To Auvers-sur-Oise From Paris
Auvers-sur-Oise is a great day trip from Paris.
Auvers sur Oise From Paris By Train:
The train trip to Auvers-sur-Oise from Paris will take approximately one hour. Take the train from Gare du Nord or Saint-Lazare to Pontoise.
Switch trains to the Transilien Line H, Pontoise to Auvers-sur-Oise. (approximately 13 minutes/ 4 stops).
The railway station in Auvers-sur-Oise is right across the street from the Auberge Ravoux.
By Car From Paris to Auvers-sur-Oise:
Take the A15 towards Pontoise and then the A115 in the direction of Beauvais-Amiens. Look for the signs “Maison de van Gogh.” The drive to Auvers-sur-Oise from Paris will take about 40 minutes, depending on traffic.
Day Trips From Paris To Auvers-sur-Oise
Take all the hassle out of your day by taking one of the many Auvers-sur-Oise tours from Paris. These guided tours include things to do in Auvers-sur-Oise and Giverny. This small-group tour is 10 hours long and includes Giverny and Auvers-sur-Oise. There are also private tours available like this tour.
Read More | While in France, why not head to Arles, Provence and explore this charming town with ancient Roman monuments and where Van Gogh was inspired?
9 Best Things To Do in Auvers-sur-Oise
1. Explore The Quaint Village Of Auvers sur Oise
Arriving in Auvers-sur-Oise is sure to put a smile on your face. It’s a charming French town with narrow laneways, shuttered homes and the scent of roses guiding your exploration. My greatest rose weakness, Pierre de Ronsard roses, is found framing doorways and gates.
Turn down every street in Auvers-sur-Oise, walk up the hills, and imagine van Gogh walking along these very pathways. Don’t forget to make your way to the River Oise. Find a shady spot. Bring a picnic. Or maybe your sketchbook.
Read More | If you love day trips from Paris connected to art, why not visit Claude Monet’s house and gardens in Giverny France? Here is How to Spend the Perfect Day in Giverny.
2. Follow The Artists’ Pathway
The town of Auvers-sur-Oise is fiercely proud of its historical and cultural heritage. Vincent van Gogh was not the only artist inspired by the landscapes at Auvers-sur-Oise. Other famous artists such as Camille Pissarro and Paul Cézanne (who spent most of his life in Aix-en-Provence) passed through or stayed to create their artistic interpretations of this bucolic paradise.
One of the best things to do in Auvers-sur-Oise France is to follow the paths marked by panels showing the masterpieces painted in and around Auvers sur Oise. I loved standing right where the artists created their famous paintings, studying the masterpiece on the panels and pondering the artist’s interpretations.
3. Visit Auberge Ravoux
One of the most important things to do in Auvers-sur-Oise is to visit this authentic 19th-century inn. A historical monument, Auberge Ravoux, also known as the Maison van Gogh, holds a special place in history as the final residence of Vincent van Gogh. It was here, in Room 5, that he spent his final months before tragically ending his life. As you step into this humble inn, you can almost feel Van Gogh’s presence lingering in the air.
- Location: 52 -56 rue du Générale de Gaulle, Auvers-sur-Oise, France
- 2024 Entrance Fee: €10
- Opening Hours: 12 to 5:30 PM Wednesdays to Sundays. Closed Mondays and Tuesdays.
On the same floor as Room 5, is Room 6 where a less famous painter Anton Hirschig stayed. His simple room shows how an artist lived at the end of the 19th century. Be sure to watch the moving audiovisual presentation “In the Footsteps of Van Gogh.”
Stay for a meal at the Auberge Ravoux which has been in operation since 1876. The atmosphere is late 19th century and the menu is classic French. You’ll be dining exactly where Vincent van Gogh took his meals over one hundred years ago.
4. Visit The Church
One of the most charming things to do in Auvers-sur-Oise is visit the delightful church, Église Notre-Dame-de-l’Assomption. Built in the early Gothic style, this small town church was immortalized in the work of one of Vincent van Gogh’s most famous masterpieces.
The painting L’Église d’Auvers or The Church at Auvers with its gorgeous indigo sky and expressive wavy lines, hangs at the Musée d’Orsay.
Stepping into the church is like taking a journey back in time. Light streams in the beautiful stained glass windows and carved wooden pews fill the nave under stone arches. I love thinking about Vincent van Gogh in Auvers sur Oise and where he positioned himself to paint this masterpiece.
Location: Place de l’Eglise, Auvers-sur-Oise, France
5. Sit In The Wheat Fields
You are so close to Paris and yet so far. The landscape around Auvers-sur-Oise is stunning. Wheatfields stretch as far as the eye can see and inspired another of Vincent van Gogh’s masterpieces, Le Champ de Blé aux Corbeaux (The Wheatfield and Crows) which hangs in the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam.
6. Visit Doctor Gachet’s House
Doctor Gachet agreed to look after Vincent van Gogh when he moved from the south of France to Auvers-sur-Oise. Doctor Gachet, an engraver and painter, and van Gogh became friends. Vincent van Gogh painted Dr. Gachet’s home and garden and two famous portraits of him. One of the portraits of Doctor Gachet hangs in the Musée d’Orsay while the other was sold privately in 1990 for $82.5 million. This particular portrait has an interesting history and its current private owner is a mystery.
Add a visit to Dr. Gachet’s little white house to your list of things to do in Auvers-sur-Oise. It is a museum that houses art exhibitions and the garden is a lovely oasis to take a short break from exploring.
- Location: Maison du Docteur Gachet, 78 rue Gachet, Auvers-sur-Oise, France
- 2024 Entrance Fee: €3
- 2024 Hours: End of March to the beginning of November 2024 from 10:30 AM to 6:30 PM Wednesdays to Sundays. Closed Mondays and Tuesdays.
Read More | Here are 21 other fabulous day trips from Paris
7. Pay Homage At Vincent van Gogh’s Final Resting Place
One of the essential things to do in Auvers-sur-Oise is to follow the pathways through the forest and wheat fields to reach the local cemetery. Vincent van Gogh’s grave, covered in ivy, marks the life of the misunderstood genius.
Although seemingly stable, Vincent van Gogh, 37 years old, went out into one of the fields surrounding Auvers-sur-Oise and shot himself in the abdomen. He died in his brother Theo’s arms in his little room at Auberge Ravoux. Vincent van Gogh was laid to rest in the cemetery in Auvers-sur-Oise the day after he succumbed to his wounds. Because he had committed suicide, no service was allowed at Eglise Notre-Dame-de-l’Assomption-d’Auvers. A service in his honour was held in the Auberge Ravoux.
Theo died six months after Vincent and his remains, initially buried in Holland, were moved beside his brother in 1914.
Just behind the stone wall where the two brothers are reunited in death, stretch the wheat fields where van Gogh created one of his most famous masterpieces, The Wheat Field and Crows.
8. Enjoy The Daubigny Museum
Charles-François Daubigny (1817-1878) was an artist who lived in Auvers-sur-Oise France for eighteen years. He originally painted in Barbizon, another delightful day trip from Paris, where an artist colony thrived.
Vincent van Gogh was a huge admirer of Charles François Daubigny. When van Gogh arrived in Auvers-sur-Oise, he visited Daubigny’s house and garden. His first painting of Daubigny’s garden was completed on a tea towel as van Gogh did not have a canvas.
The Daubigny Museum, in an ancient manor house from the 1600s, has over 100 of Daubigny’s works and presents special exhibitions.
- Location: Manoir des Colombières, Rue de la Sansonne, Auvers-sur-Oise, France
- 2024 Entrance Fee: €5 per person
- Hours: Tuesdays to Fridays 2 PM to 5:30 PM (Wednesdays close at 6:30 PM); Saturdays, Sundays and holidays from 10:30 AM to 12:30 and 2 PM to 5:30 PM
- Summer Hours: July and August: Tuesdays to Sundays 10:30 AM to 12:30 and 2 PM to 5:30 PM (Wednesdays close at 6:30 PM)
- Closed: December 25 and January 1
Read More | Another day trip not far from Paris is to the UNESCO World Heritage Site and medieval village, Provins. Here is the low down on Provins, France.
9. Uncover The Myths Of Absinthe At The Museum
Absinthe. Also known as “La Fée verte” (the green fairy). Many artists during this period were heavy absinthe drinkers. The Absinthe Museum (Musee de l’Absinthe) houses classic posters advertising the drink and authentic objects for the ritual of consuming absinthe.
- Location: 44 rue Alphonse Callè, Auvers-sur-Oise, France
- 2024 Entrance Fee: €6 per person; €5 additional for a tasting of absinthe
- Hours: Saturdays and Sundays from 1:30 to 5:30 p.m
In Conclusion
Auvers sur Oise, France is a hidden gem that offers a unique blend of history, art, and natural beauty. Art lovers will adore this fabulous day trip from Paris to Auvers-sur-Oise. It’s the perfect place to Immerse oneself in the picturesque landscapes that inspired Vincent van Gogh’s paintings and explore the charming village.
I hope you enjoy discovering these 9 best things to do in Auvers-sur-Oise as much as I did.
Until next time,
More Travel Info…
Where To Stay In Auvers-sur-Oise
If you would like a peaceful night right in Auvers-sur-Oise, try one of these hotels . If you prefer to stay in Paris and visit Auvers-sur-Oise as a day trip, here are suggestions for Paris hotels.
Paris Resources:
All my Paris resources are right here on this page. The guide to all 20 arrondissements is a popular post that will help you plan a fabulous trip.
If you love that village feel in Paris these areas might interest you:
Le Marais is one of the oldest areas of Paris. Once marshland, it is full of boutiques, cafés, gorgeous old mansions and museums. Read my full guide to le Marais and also insider Marais tips from a local.
Montmartre feels like a small village. This post on Montmartre leads you to the most popular sites as well as some lesser-known places on the hill.
Ile Saint-Louis is still one of my favourite spots in Paris. On Pont Saint-Louis, you’ll almost always find some street music.
Don’t forget to stroll by the canal under chestnut trees by Canal Saint-Martin and eat at some great restaurants in Canal Saint-Martin.
And Montparnasse. Most people think of the tall black tower looming over the Paris skyline or the train station. This guide on Montparnasse uncovers some marvellous things to discover in the 14th arrondissement.
This page has all my articles on Paris that will help you plan out your trip, including day trips from Paris. I hope you subscribed to my newsletter to get my free download – An Amazing 2-day Itinerary in Paris.
If you are going further afield in France, make sure to check out my page on France.
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What a lovely way to spend a summer’s day. I lived vicariously through your words and photos, and only hope to visit one day. Le sigh!
Stay hopeful! You’ll be back! I’ll eat a croissant for you!
I so can’t wait to go thank you
You’re welcome! It’s a beautiful outing!