A veritable green lung north of Paris, the three forest massifs of Halatte, Chantilly and Ermenonville are a paradise for walkers and hikers.
More than 1000 kilometers The GR11, GR12 and PR footpaths criss-cross our region. An excellent way to discover a unique natural and cultural heritage and take a deep breath...
Fleurines, Senlis and the ponds of Commelles are also stages of the Camino de Santiago by taking the GR 655 from Maubeuge to Paris.
Notice to pilgrims: don't miss the St Jacques so-called Bailli chapel in Senlis Cathedral and have your credential stamped at the tourism office.
Discover the different itineraries offered by the Oise-Pays de France Regional Nature Park:
14 walks to discover the riches of the Oise Pays de France Regional Natural Park through its forests, its plains and the assault of the mountains! These plates show you the route to follow (with an extract from the IGN map), the time, the difficulty, the number of kilometers and the curiosities to discover during your walks.
Also downloadable below, along with some useful tips:
Our experience with the "Aumont en Halatte on the Alta mountain" route: Unmarked route but the indications are simple, impossible to get lost and it is even possible to shorten it. In spring, daffodils and hyacinths give colour to the forest! For those with an eagle eye, look for the armorial markers, some of which date back almost half a millennium!
Our experience with the course "Ermenonville Forest, in the forest of the abbeys": A signposted route "Un air de Méditerranée", easy and sandy. A little bit like the moors with sand, heather and limestone rocks, you almost expect to come to the sea! Picnic tables at the Chaalis hut will welcome you for a country lunch or a snack at the end of the walk!
Our experience with the "Ermenonville - A moorland atmosphere" route: Nice balcony walk with a little bit of difference in level and sandy sections. Be careful not to be bewitched by the druidic stones and by the viewpoint at the Pierre Sorcière. Don't leave without a visit to the Jean-Jacques Rousseau park, which is open during the summer months, where you will find romance and calm.
Our experience with the course "Mont l'Evêque, a village linked to its forest": The circuit begins with a tour of the village, don't hesitate to pass through the gate of the Château de Mont l'Evêque and take a walk in its park, which is freely accessible to all. Near the wash house and the Nonette, picnic tables await hikers for a meal shared with family or friends. At the exit of the village, before turning right, do not miss a shield shelter, a vestige of the Chauvineau line. WARNING: muddy sections in case of heavy rain - Passage through the military zone, so access may be closed - To find out which areas are hunted from the end of September to the end of March, call the town hall or the Departmental Hunting Federation of the Oise
Our experience with the course "Montépilloy - Fourcheret, a great escape": Yellow or soft green in spring or blond and beige in summer, the fields along the path undulate in the wind. The two prominent landmarks of the surroundings stand out against the blue sky: Senlis cathedral in the distance and the tower of the Montépilloy castle that you will see throughout this walk! Cereal barns, old 16th century farms and signs of prehistoric occupation alternate with fields and horse pastures. It is possible to take shortcuts and visit the Montépilloy castle in the beautiful season!
Our experience with the course "Orry la Ville, in the monks' forest": Walk and forest accessible from Orry-la-Ville station. Easy route passing through pretty hamlets and the castle of Hérivaux. In spring, frogs and dragonflies populate the ponds and waterholes along the way.
These free brochures are available at the Tourist Office.
Friends, hikers and visitors, nature is fragile: help us protect it!
Follow and enforce these few tips:
- I don't park my car just anywhere, I use the designated car parks.
- On my walks, I stay on the paths.
- I respect private property.
- I avoid leaving any traces and I take my rubbish with me.
- I'm learning not to make noise.
- I don't pick plants, some of which are protected, and I avoid eating berries (risk of disease).
- If I am accompanied by an animal, I keep it on a lead so as not to disturb wild animals and other walkers.
- I don't feed the waterfowl, it makes them sick.
- I am tolerant and courteous with the people I meet.
- During the hunting season from October to March, I must respect the hunters' signs and instructions. State-owned forests are not hunted on Sundays.
- I'm vigilant and understanding when I drive through forestry workcamps, as they help to manage the forest.
- I equip myself according to the weather, take maps, binoculars and magnifying glasses and set off to explore.
- I don't light fires, as there is a real risk of fire.
- I'm very careful around the racehorse training tracks. I stand back and let them pass.
- I prefer to use public transport and car-share to get to and from my excursion.
Our Council
The tourism office also sells the IGN hiking map "Forests of Chantilly, Halatte and Ermenonville" (Top25) to prepare your own circuits.
And do not forget the application “Oise Park Hike” to have all the routes in your pocket!
