Welcome to senlis

In the center of the Regional Oise Natural Park of France, created in 2004, the royal city of Senlis  is preserving its exceptional heritage, testimony of 2000 years of history, and ensures that its economic and cultural development takes place according to the rhythm of XXI century.

The city has more than one hundred cultural, patriotic, mutual aid, sports and leisure associations, which throughout the year organise numerous festivals and events that liven up the city for the pleasure of the local inhabitants of Senlis and visitors.

This tour has been designed for those who are visiting Senlis for the first time

Discover the main sites and monuments in the historical city centre:

A walking tour with our speakers :

The Gallo-Roman wall,

The park and the remains of the royal castle,

The cathedral Notre-Dame

The medieval streets…

(tour : 2 hours)

Pedestrian visit: 117€ per group - 30 persons maximum.

You might like to complete this tour with one of following sites:

• The Gallo-Roman arena :

Dating back to the first century, this exceptional site was discovered in 1865 and the axcavation works lasted for almost a century. Some 11 000 people could attend the circus games and gladiator or wild beast fights.

• Chapelle Saint-Frambourg :

Founded during the 10th century by Adélaïde de France, the spouse of king Hugues Capet, the chapel was saved by the Hungarian pianist Georges Cziffra in 1974; it has since been the home of Fondation Cziffra's auditorium.

The stained glass windows in the apse were designed by Juan Mirò.

Duration: 2 hours Appointment: carpark tourism, place of the country cottage with the statue of stag.

• Historic building with open sky

In 1962, André Malraux created the law of the “safeguarded Sectors”. Senlis is one of the first cities to have subscribed there to protect and emphasize the Inheritance of the heart of city. For more than forty years, the frontages, the gates, the roofs and other elements of architecture have been restored under the vigilant eye of the Architects of the Building industries of France.

This visit will enable you to note the embellishment, safeguarding, the implementation, the advantages and the constraints of the Safeguarded Sector.

• A book of History of Art

Marked by four centuries of transformations, the cathedral Notre-Dame de Senlis is a major witness of the evolution of the Gothic style. Construction begins about 1150, under the reign of Louis VII. In the years 1160, for the first time, in the history of the monumental sculpture, the virgin will be the principal figure of the central gate. Work is exceptional at the same time for its subject, very innovative for the time but also for its daring style insufflating the life with the carved characters. This gate has just been restored and the techniques of XXIe century enable us to find through the original colors the expression of the faces, the movement of draped and all the splendour of this sculptural unit. Our lecturers will evoke during this visit the wood or stone statues, which populate the Cathedral silently by explaining the attributes, the lives, the legends of these holy and holy.

• Past and Present

Intramuros, Senlis does not count less than five churches, but only the Notre-Dame Cathedral remained a building of worship. Why monuments like the Saint-Vincent Abbey and the Saint-Pierre church did change vocation and became respectively a college and an arts centre? Discover with this visit the past, sometimes animated, of these masonries, like that of the Saint-Aignan church, the church of the old hospital of Charity and the royal vault Saint- Frambourg.

• Anne of Kiev and the Saint-Vincent abbey

Anne of Kiev, marries of king Henri Ier, founds the monastery of Saint-Vincent in 1065. Very quickly, under the protection and the donations of kings de France, the establishment of the canons about Augustin saint thrives. Sold like national good, the abbey becomes barracks, spinning mill… then, as from 1836, a house of education. Typical district where you will discover also the medieval rampart, built under the reign of Philippe-Auguste, the bastion of the Door of Meaux, the river “the Little nun”…

• The Nights

The evening, Senlis illuminates itself, the monuments and the city changes, a peaceful atmosphere reigns in the lanes. Traverse them with our lecturers to discover the buildings in full light

 In the middle of the Regional natural park Oise-Country of France, the town of Senlis, crossed by two and broadside rivers of forests and agricultural spaces, was built in a remarkable natural ECRIN.

The natural landscapes senlisiens make the good share with three large elements: water, the forest and fields. Omnipresent, water crosses the city. The courses of water of the Little nun and Aunette, formerly equipped with several mills, are bordered aujourd' today, of private and family gardens and a large garden-center. Various wetlands on the level of Villevert, the Jumbo derrick and the Ecological Park of Bonsecours, which accomodates a great number of birds of all horizons, make it possible to preserve an invaluable biodiversity. The fields which border the town of all shares evoke an agricultural activity always quite present, anchored on the territory. The forests of Chantilly and Pontarmé in the South and the forest of Halatte in North lodge large fauna (deer tribe, wild boars…) and are used as place of drive for the horse activity.