The city and forest of Compiegne near Paris

The Compiegne forest is, together with the Fontainebleau and Rambouillet forests, one of the three great royal hunting forests of France.

Sixty kilometers north of Paris by the A1 freeway, not far from Charles de Gaulle Airport, Compiegne has superb oak and beech trees and  great perspectives.

The forest is very popular with horse and bicycle riders. A perfect destination from Paris for a day rest.

Compiegne city

At the edge of the forest, the Chateau de Compiegne was a favourite of Napoleon III. Napoleon III, the nephew of the great Napoleon, 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.

We recommend Pierrefonds. In a romantic setting, you are really brought back to the Middle Ages. Web site.

Also in Compiegne forest, you can visit the Rethondes Armistice Clearing where World War One ended on November 11th 1918. More details.

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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