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Beyond Tourism
This once-sleepy little hamlet has transformed into a self-proclaimed “Cradle of Impressionism,” proud of having hosted famed artists such as Daubigny, Corot, Daumier, Cézanne, and a certain van Gogh. The 70 canvases van Gogh produced during his 10-week stay in Auvers bear testimony to what he called the “medicinal effect” of this bit of countryside, only 30km northwest of Paris.Fleeing Provence, where he had been diagnosed with depression and possible epilepsy, van Gogh arrived in May 1890 at Auvers-sur-Oise, where he would be treated by a Dr. Gachet. But neither the doctor nor the countryside were enough to lift his depression. On the afternoon of July 27, he set off with his paints to the fields above the village, crawling back into his room that evening with a bullet lodged deep in his chest. Gachet, van Gogh’s brother Théo, and even the police had a chance to demand an explanation from the painter as he lay smoking his pipe and bleeding for two days. “Sadness goes on forever,” he told his brother, and died. Visitors to this tranquil town will find a number of vistas remarkably unchanged from those portrayed in van Gogh’s work. Various festivals and fairs are held here throughout the year; check www.auverscama.com for more information.
The walk below takes about 2hr. Turn left directly from the train station.
To begin, on the right you’ll see the small Parc van Gogh, which includes a Zadkine statue of the artist, and offers a shady rest and a great picnicking spot. Farther down on the right is the Auberge Ravoux where van Gogh stayed while in Auvers-sur-Oise and where he ultimately killed himself. The Maison de van Gogh, 8 rue de la Sansonne, is just around the corner. Though it has little to offer beyond a glimpse of van Gogh’s bare room and a pretty (and pretty uninformative) slide show, the cost of admission includes a souvenir “passport” to Auvers-sur-Oise that details the history of the auberge and van Gogh’s sojourn here. The Maison also gives out information on other museums, walking tours in the region, and discounts to four of the museums. (☎01 30 36 60 60; www.maisondevangogh.fr. Open Mar.-Oct. W-Su 10am-6pm; last entry 5:30pm. Van Gogh’s room/Auberge Ravoux €5, ages 12-18 years €3, under 12 free.)
A visit to the Cimetière d’Auvers , where van Gogh and his brother Théo are buried, is worth the 15min. walk from the Maison de van Gogh. To get to the cemetery, take the uphill path past the tourist office, following the signs labeled “Les tombes de Théo et Vincent”. After the path becomes rue Daubigny, you will reach a narrow staircase on your left. Follow the steps to the elegant Notre Dame d’Auvers (open daily 9:30am-6pm), which served as the 12th-century subject of van Gogh’s 1890 Église d’Auvers, which currently hangs in the Musée d’Orsay (see Museums). The entrance to the church is on the left side.
From the right side of the church, take the steep road curving uphill, which levels with a wheat field. The cemetery is on your right, and the tombs are located against the far left wall, covered by an unimpressive ivy bush. Outside the cemetery, facing the field, take the dirt path to your right labeled “Château par la Sente du Montier” to the wheat field where van Gogh painted his Champs de Blé aux Corbeaux (Wheatfields with Crows). Turn left at the end of the road and you will see on your right the Atelier de Daubigny, 61 rue Daubigny, once the home and studio of pre-Impressionist painter Charles-François Daubigny. (☎01 34 48 03 03; www.atelier-daubigny.com. Open Easter-Nov. Th-Sa 2-6:30pm, Su 11am-6:30pm; closed mid-July to mid-Aug. €5.) Turn right on rue de Léry, and on a side street to the left you’ll find the Musée de l’Absinthe, 44 rue Alphonse Callé, a tribute to the n potent green liqueur immortalized in various paintings by Degas and Manet. Samples of a legal but much less toxic (read: less fun) version of the supposedly psychedelic drink that van Gogh liked so much are on sale at the museum’s small gift shop. (☎01 30 36 83 26. Open Mar. to mid-Sept. W-F 1:30-6pm and Sa-Su 11am-6pm; mid-Sept. to mid-Dec. Sa-Su 11am-6pm. €5, students €4, under 14 free.) From the museum, follow rue de Léry up to the Château d’Auvers, which houses a tranquil orangerie and a modest collection of engaging Impressionist paintings. (☎01 34 48 48 45; www.chateau-auvers.fr. Open Apr.-Sept. M-F 10:30am-6pm and Sa-Su 10:30am-6:30pm; Oct.-Mar. M-F 10:30am-4:30pm and Sa-Su 10:30am-5:30pm. Closed mid-Dec. to mid-Jan. €12, students and ages 6-18 €8.)
Inexpensive cafes and crêperies can be found throughout the town, but visitors willing to splurge should experience the Auberge Ravoux 4, 52, rue de Général-de-Gaulle (☎01 30 36 60 60), in all its historical glory. The ultimate van Gogh experience, the restaurant is located in the house where the painter lived and died over 100 years ago. Elaborate glasswork, lace curtains, and old-fashioned wooden benches complement €29 two-course or €37 three-course menus of classic French dishes such as 7hr. leg of lamb, beef Bourgignon, and homemade foie gras. (Open W-F noon-3pm for lunch and 3-5pm; Sa-Su first lunch service noon, second lunch service 2:15pm, salon de thé 3:20-5pm. Serves dinner only to groups of 30-45; reservations required. Closed Nov.-Feb. AmEx/MC/V.)
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