Cycling La Scandibérique in the Aisne and the Oise

A friendly adventure to share just a stone’s throw from Paris, how does that sound?

The expedition is like a gourmet getaway for the taste buds and the eyes. For a day or a week, the greenway delivers its good addresses between heritage and the flavours of our regions. Cheese, beer and red fruit tastings are all yours! This invitation to travel is an integral part of the landscape of theAisne and theOise where freshness, history and flavours are the watchwords.

The adventure starts gently on the paths of the fortified churches of the Thiérache, architectural treasures unique in France, which shape the landscape of this gentle bocage country. Here, Thiérache cider and maroilles whet the appetite, and a gourmet break at the Estaminet de la Halle in Marly-Gomont is a must.

The greenway continues into the historic town of Guise known for its Familistère, an illustration of the utopia of the 19th–20th century economic model. It is a town within a town created by Monsieur Godin for the well-being of his employees.

Flavigny Le grand l'église fortifiée et la voie verte

Following the lateral canal of the Oise, you will see Noyon in the distance, renowned for its Gothic cathedral and canonical quarter.

Next stop: imperial Compiègne with its château and historic centre.

Want to be soothed? Give a few trees a hug. Fans of local produce? Visit the Brasserie Saint-Médard.

The magic continues in the Halatte forest and in Senlis, courted by kings, praised by writers, a favourite location of film directors. Half-timbered houses, Gallo-Roman arenas and ramparts, cathedral, royal château and mansions invite you to stroll.

Abbaye Ourscamp

The journey continues in the Ermenonville forest, home to pines and heather. On leaving the woods, theChaalis Abbey, Ermenonville and the Jean-Jacques Rousseau Park promise you a pleasant cultural break.

Welcome to the Aisne and the Oise!

Read the blog article “On met les voiles sur l’Aisne et l’Oise” (in French)

See all of Lorant Deutsch’s stages in the Aisne and the Oise

Find out more about cycling in the Oise Find out more about cycling in the Aisne

https://www.eurocyclo.eu ▌ https://www.jaimelaisne.com

https://www.oisetourisme.com

Logo Aisne et Oise

Custom route

6 Guise / Ribemont

25 km

1 h 34 min

I cycle often

Leaving Guise and its castle behind, the route cuts boldly via Macquigny to follow the meadow-lined banks of the Oise as far as Ribemont. For a less direct option, enjoy following the calm, beautiful meanders of the river, evoked by Robert Louis Stevenson in his travel book, An Inland Voyage. Passing steep slopes and charming brick villages, plus Origny sugar factory, the Scandibérique leads you to Ribemont, the village where Enlightenment philosopher Nicolas de Condorcet was born. Park your bike to visit the house where he came into world, now a museum.

7 Ribemont / Tergnier

26 km

1 h 44 min

I begin / Family

Be prepared to be surprised by the Oise Valley! Here, the route passes below seven limestone slopes, at times closer to the meandering river, at times closer to the Canal de la Sambre à l’Oise. All along, appreciate the all too often ignored local heritage of locks, bridge-canals, former mills and protected natural zones boasting abundant flora and fauna. Bloucard Cliff’s steep limestone sides look grandly down on the riverbed 25m below, marking the abrupt end of the agricultural plain extending southwest from Guise, and making quite an impression on cyclists along the route.

9 Noyon / Compiègne

29 km

1 h 57 min

I begin / Family

Leaving the little cathedral city of Noyon, the Oise Valley proves bucolic. It’s easy to weave your way along in these parts, seeking out major sites near the route. Nestled at the confluence of the Canal du Nord and the Canal Latéral à l’Oise lies the charming old mariners’ village of Pont-l’Evêque. Soon after, spot the majestic ruins of the Cistercian abbey of Ourscamp rising from the edge of the forest. Next, waterways and lakes act as so many reflective mirrors in any sunshine. The route then continues along magnificent wooded alleys through Laigue Forest and beside the Aisne River’s meanders, up to this waterway’s confluence with the Oise. This is an area where river mariners once ruled the roost!