This French village famous for its roses offers a breathtaking spectacle in the spring, far from the bustle of major cities.
Spring arrives and nature is adorned with its most beautiful colors. France is full of labeled villages where wild flowers and flower gardens embellish the cobbled alleys. This is the ideal period to meet them, because time is pleasant and there are fewer tourists in summer. Among these, this village is a real open-air garden near the capital.
Fleuri of countless roses, this village turns into a real living table living in the spring. Strolling through its cobbled alleys in fine weather is a unique sensory experience: the climbing roses invade the walls of its half -timbered houses, its gardens offer a dazzling spectacle of colors and perfumes … This unique charm, the village owes it to the impressionist painter Henri Le Sidaner, which settled there at the beginning of the 20th century. On his advice, the inhabitants began to plant roses in front of their house.
It is thus gradually that the village of Gerberoy, located on the borders of Picardy and Normandy in the department of Oise, was nicknamed the “City of Roses” or the “Village aux Mile Rosiers”. The influence of the painter is found in particular in the Henri Le Sidaner gardens, an essential place for all flower lovers and those looking for a haven of peace. More recently in 2016, the municipality opened the Garden of IFS, an old private French garden, which allows you to enjoy a peaceful walk between Ifs and roses.
If it is a magical place that will certainly appeal to the most romantic among us, history enthusiasts will not be outdone. This locality of less than 100 inhabitants was once the theater of a historic battle during the Hundred Years War. Indeed, Gerberoy was fortified in the Middle Ages, surrounded by ramparts and a castle and his position at the top of a hill made it an ideal place of defense. If the castle has since been dismantled by King Henri IV, we can still see the vestiges of his ramparts. Explore the Saint-Pierre church with elegant Romanesque architecture, whose origins date back to the 11th century: it is another testimony of its medieval history, which has always been a gathering place for the inhabitants of Gerberoy.
It is therefore not trivial if this peaceful village where time seems to have stopped has been classified among the “most beautiful villages in France”. After visiting its heritage, go and taste its local specialties such as cider, roses jam or Gerberoy cheese and take a break in a tea room to enjoy the atmosphere of the village by savoring a pastry.
Ideal for a family or romantic getaway, the village is accessible 1.5 hours from Paris by car or using the train to Beauvais station then a bus. Provide good walking shoes because the alleys are winding and sometimes steep. Good visit!