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The city and forest of Compiegne near Paris |
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The Compiegne forest is, together with the Fontainebleau and Rambouillet forests, one of the three royal hunting forests of France. Sixty kilometers North of Paris by the A1 freeway, not far from Charles de Gaulle airport, the huge Compiegne forest has superb oak and beech trees and magnificent perspectives. The forest is very popular with horse and bicycle riders. A perfect destination from Paris for a day rest. |
![]() Compiegne city |
![]() The Pierrefonds castle near Compiegne |
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At the edge of the forest, in the lovely city of Compiegne, the Chateau de Compiegne was a favourite of Napoleon III. Napoleon III, the nephew of the great Napoléon, was emperor of France between 1852 and 1870. In the middle of the forest, the massive medieval Pierrefonds castle (tel 33 (0)3 44 42 72 72) was superbly restored in the 19th century by Viollet le Duc. At Pierrefonds, you are really brought back to the Middle Ages. Web site. |
![]() The Compiegne forest |
![]() The Rethondes carriage |
Also in the
Compiegne forest, you can visit the Rethondes Armistice Clearing where World War One ended on
November 11th 1918. More
details.
There, you will visit a copy of the carriage where Marshall Foch accepted the surrender of the German armies. The Compiegne city and forest are especially recommended in the fall, when the colors of the leaves vary from yellow to red. |
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