The Oise River

You're now walking along the Oise River, a place that inspired many 19th-century painters with its peaceful charm. It begins in Chimay, Belgium, and winds its way through 302 kilometers, the majority of it in France, before joining the Seine. For centuries, the Oise has served as a key waterway, connecting the Paris region with northern France, Belgium, and the Netherlands. Almost all of it is navigable, and it’s been canalised from Compiègne onwards to allow smooth passage for boats. Running alongside it is the EuroVelo 3 bike route, also known as the Pilgrims’ Route, or the “Scandibérique,” since it stretches all the way from Scandinavia to the Iberian Peninsula. This vast cycling trail starts in Norway and takes you through Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Belgium, France, and Spain. So if you’ve ever dreamed of a long-distance cycling adventure, or imagined cycling the Camino de Santiago rather than walking, it all starts here.