Built by an Italian financier who was friends with Marie de’ Medici, the Château d’Auvers-sur-Oise serves up the requisite amount of pomp. But more than its architecture—or even its formal gardens and parkland—the site is most celebrated for its artistic legacy. Painters such as Vincent van Gogh and Paul Cézanne immortalized the château in their canvases, and today, the Château d’Auvers-sur-Oise’s unabashed highlight is its multimedia exhibition, which details the history of Impressionism and displays work by Claude Monet, Gustave Caillebotte, and others.
Owing to its proximity to Paris, the Château d’Auvers-sur-Oise is easy to visit independently. It’s also a stop on Impressionist- and van Gogh–themed tours of the town.
The Château d’Auvers-sur-Oise is accessible for visitors with limited mobility.
Children under 7 can visit for free, and families are given discounted rates. The château also hosts family workshops, including storytelling walks and artistic activities.
For a souvenir related to Impressionism or van Gogh, be sure to visit the gift shop.
The Château d’Auvers-sur-Oise is 30 minutes north of Paris. If traveling from the Gare du Nord, take the train to Valmondois, and change for a train to Auvers-sur-Oise; you can also take the train from Gare Saint-Lazare to Pontoise, and change for a train to Auvers-sur-Oise. If driving, take the A86, then the A15.
The Château d’Auvers-sur-Oise is open every day except Monday (including most public holidays), from morning until early evening. Last admission is 1 hour before closing time, though you’ll likely want at least a couple of hours to explore its 20 acres (8 hectares) of parkland and its interior exhibitions.
The château isn’t the only landmark in Auvers-sur-Oise. Other sights include the Maison de van Gogh (also known as the Auberge Ravoux), where the painter tragically spent the remaining days of his life; the van Gogh burial site; the Absinthe Museum; and the Daubigny Museum (dedicated to Charles-François Daubigny, considered the first Impressionist painter).
