The Three Forests
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The route links Compiègne and Senlis, two royal towns with a considerable historical heritage.
In the forest of Compiègne, there are a number of cycle routes where you can explore the forest in search of remarkable trees, including a 900-year-old yew tree in the grounds of Saint-Pierre-en-Chastres, or discover the imposing silhouette of Pierrefonds castle.
Then the route, between the Oise and the old sand pits, joins the beautiful Halatte forest to the north of Senlis. To the south, in the Ermenonville forest, the Scots pine gives way to deciduous trees, heather and broom.
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The 4 stages of the section « The Three Forests »
The most pleasant part is crossing the Laigue forest along car-free forest paths. This vast state-owned forest is mainly composed of beech and oak trees. It is separated from the Compiègne forest by the Aisne River. After Choisy-au-Bac, the route follows the Aisne, then the Oise, passing several factories before arriving in Compiègne.
Take care, the departmental roads leading to Bailly and then Saint-Léger-aux-Bois are very busy.
The route alternates between greenways, cycle paths and roads. The detour to the old sand pits is a highlight of the ride. During extraction, mammoth bones and Merovingian sarcophagi were found there.
Founded in the early 14th century by Philip IV, known as Philip the Fair, in Pontpoint, the Royal Abbey of Moncel is a listed historical monument.
Before enjoying Halatte Forest, you will need to climb a steep hill. Together with Ermenonville Forest and Chantilly Forest, they form the Three Forests Massif. The route passes close to Mont-Pagnotte, one of the highest points (220 m). A viewpoint offers a beautiful view of the Oise valley. In the commune of Chamant, there is a metal water tower (2 km west of the St-Priest signpost), which is still in use.
On this stage, the Paris-London cycle route merges with EuroVelo 3 until Senlis.
To view the route from Chantilly-Gouvieux station to Senlis, tick the “link lanes” box.
Between the medieval town of Senlis and the edge of the Île-de-France region, the route is located in a forest. There are no villages between the two ends of the route: a change of scenery is guaranteed because, with these tall pine trees and sandy outcrops, you could be forgiven for thinking you were in the Landes region.
To view the detour through the Ermenonville forest, to be used on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, tick the “Variant lanes” box.