Things to do in Val-d'Oise: our selection
This list has fifteen ideas, grouped by area: first Auvers-sur-Oise and Van Gogh, then abbeys and châteaux, then the lake, the Vexin and the water. Every place has its own ticket, and several close on Mondays or Tuesdays. Prices and hours are as listed in 2026, so check them before you go.
If you plan several stops in Auvers and the area, the Pass des 5 lieux can pay off. It covers the Château d'Auvers, Dr. Gachet's house, the Val-d'Oise archaeological museum, the tool museum and Maubuisson Abbey. In 2026 it costs €30 solo, €45 for two and €68 for a family (for visitors who do not live in the département).
Auvers-sur-Oise and Van Gogh (1 to 5)
Five stops on foot in the village where Van Gogh spent his last months.
1. Van Gogh's room at the Auberge Ravoux
Vincent moved into room no. 5 on 20 May 1890. The attic room measures about 7 m² (75 sq ft) and is empty. It is a place of memory, not a museum of paintings. The guided visit with a film lasts about 30 minutes. Entry is €10 in 2026, €8 reduced, free under 12. It is open Wednesday to Sunday until 22 November 2026, from 9:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. and from 1:15 to 6:30 p.m.
Van Gogh in Auvers →2. The Auvers cemetery and the graves of Vincent and Theo
Vincent and his brother Theo lie side by side in the cemetery on Avenue du Cimetière. Theo was moved there in 1914. It is a short, quiet stop. Check the access conditions before you go.
3. The church of Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption
The church on Place de l'Église is the one Van Gogh painted. The parish lists it as open daily from 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m., except on days when a festival uses it. The Sunday Mass at 10:30 a.m. is not a sightseeing visit. Access to the interior is not guaranteed during a service.
4. The exhibition at the Château d'Auvers
Until 3 January 2027: "Van Gogh influenceur, héritages en mouvement". It shows no original Van Goghs, but works by other artists, prints, archives and contemporary pieces. Entry is €12 in 2026, €7 reduced. It is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Book a time slot online, because only a reserved slot guarantees entry. The park is free to enter.
Auvers-sur-Oise →5. Dr. Gachet's house
At 78 rue Gachet, the house and garden are open Wednesday to Sunday from 10:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., with last entry at 6 p.m. Entry is €5 in 2026, €3 reduced, free under 8. From 8 August to 1 November 2026 the exhibition "L'art de la gravure, chez le docteur Gachet" is on. There are stairs in the house and garden and no elevator. The house has no parking of its own. The château car park is about 700 m (0.4 miles) away.
Our picks: things to do
A walk led by an actor, a hike from Paris and a walk among tree roots and wheat fields.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide. Prices are indicative starting prices in euros (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Walk through Van Gogh's last days with an actor
A guided walk in Auvers led by a professional actor.
Check availability →
Six-mile hike in Van Gogh's footsteps from Paris
Audio headsets let you hear the guide. The regional train ticket (about €5 each way) is not included.
Check availability →
Walk among the tree roots and wheat fields of Auvers
Entry and a guided walk with eight stops between tree roots and wheat fields.
Check availability →Guided visits and day trips in Val-d'Oise
Van Gogh, abbeys and châteaux: guided visits and day trips with live prices and availability.
Around Auvers: studios, abbeys and châteaux (6 to 10)
Bigger sites, with hours that change by season.
6. Daubigny's house and studio
At 61 rue Daubigny, it is open from 4 April to 1 November 2026. Individual visitors come on Saturday and Sunday, in the morning and the afternoon. Entry is €7 or €5 reduced, garden included, and free for children under 12 with their family. On weekdays only groups with a reservation are admitted. Do not confuse it with the Musée Daubigny, which is a different place.
7. The Absinthe museum
At 44 rue Alphonse Callé, open from 3 March to 22 November 2026: Wednesday to Friday from 1:30 to 6:30 p.m., weekends and public holidays from 11:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Entry is €6. A tasting costs €7 separately, or €12 for the museum plus a tasting. The bar and the garden can be used without a museum ticket.
8. Royaumont Abbey
In Asnières-sur-Oise: three gardens (cloister, medieval-inspired, vegetable garden) and a park of 6.5 ha (16 acres). A self-guided visit costs €11 in 2026, €8 reduced and €30 for a family. From April to October it is open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; from November to March, Tuesday to Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Parking is free.
Royaumont Abbey →9. The château of La Roche-Guyon and its garden
The château, the fruit and vegetable garden between the château and the Seine, and a village listed among Les Plus Beaux Villages de France. Open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. from 1 April to 1 November 2026, then from 1 to 7 p.m. from 5 December 2026 to 3 January 2027. Entry is €9.50 in 2026. Strollers and pets are not allowed in the château.
La Roche-Guyon →10. The Renaissance museum in the Château d'Écouen
Open every day except Tuesday, from 9:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. and from 2 to 5:15 p.m. Entry is €6 at the moment instead of €8, because of facade work. It is free under 26 and for everyone on the first Sunday of the month. The temporary entrance is behind the château and some rooms are closed. The park is free and open on Tuesdays too.
Château d'Écouen →Lake, Vexin and water (11 to 15)
For a calmer day, with nature and country museums.
11. A pedal boat on the lake at Enghien
From 2 April to 1 November 2026, at the Esplanade Patenôtre Desnoyers (93 rue du Général de Gaulle). Per hour: two-seat pedal boat €25, four-seat pedal boat €35, five-seat electric boat €50. From age 3, with at least one adult per boat. A life jacket is provided and dogs are not allowed. Hours vary with school holidays and weekdays, so check before you go.
Enghien-les-Bains →12. The Musée du Vexin français in Théméricourt
In the outbuildings of the Château de Théméricourt, at the Maison du Parc. Entry is €4, or €2 reduced, free under 5. Tuesday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 2 to 6 p.m., Saturday from 2 to 6 p.m., Sundays and public holidays from 2 to 6 p.m. from October to April. Closed on Mondays and all of December.
The Vexin →13. The Val-d'Oise archaeological museum in Guiry-en-Vexin
Entry is €4, €2.50 for ages 8 to 18 and students under 26, €3.50 over 65, free under 8 (2026 prices). Tuesday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., weekends and public holidays from 1 to 6 p.m. Closed on Mondays, 25 December and 1 January.
14. The regional estate of Villarceaux in Chaussy
70 ha (173 acres) of park and two châteaux: the upper château dates from the 18th century, the lower group from the 16th. Open Tuesday to Sunday from 2 to 6 p.m., from 4 April to 1 November 2026. The gardens and the upper château are open. Guided tours are by reservation, and the weekend tours are free with prior registration. The conservation vegetable garden is free. Open gardens do not mean every interior is open.
15. The municipal beach of L'Isle-Adam, in summer
A summer idea: pools on the bank of the Oise (the main pool is 40 × 20 m), with pedal boats, paddleboards and mini-golf. It is not free swimming in the river. 2026 season: weekends from 6 to 28 June, then daily from 1 July to 31 August, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. A day ticket costs €21 from age 14, €12 for ages 5 to 13, free under 5. The 2026 season is over, so check the calendar for the next one.
L'Isle-Adam →Things to do in Val-d'Oise: frequently asked questions
What can I do in one day in Val-d'Oise?
Pick one area. In Auvers you can combine Van Gogh's room, Dr. Gachet's house and the château. Otherwise, give the day to Royaumont, La Roche-Guyon or Écouen. Getting between these places by public transport takes time, so see the getting there page.
What can I do when it rains?
Museums are the obvious choice: the Renaissance museum in Écouen, the Musée du Vexin français, the archaeological museum, the Absinthe museum and the exhibition at the Château d'Auvers. The gardens of Royaumont, La Roche-Guyon and Villarceaux need dry weather.
Which sites are open on Mondays?
Écouen (closed on Tuesdays), La Roche-Guyon (daily in season, until 1 November) and Royaumont (daily from April to October). Van Gogh's room, the Château d'Auvers, Dr. Gachet's house, both Vexin museums and the archaeological museum are closed on Mondays.
What is good with children?
Royaumont has a family price of €30 for 2 adults and their children aged 7 to 18, and La Roche-Guyon has a family price of €29.50 for 2 adults and 2 children. The boats in Enghien are open from age 3 with an adult. Strollers are not allowed inside the château at La Roche-Guyon.
Is Parc Astérix one of the ideas?
No, because it is in Plailly, in the Oise. The Parc Astérix page explains how to get there from Paris.