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Auvers Sur Oise


It doesn't take long to get to Auvers Sur Oise, a small village near Paris. You can use your Paris metro card, (the Navigo) and within an hour or so you are in a different world, the world of Vincent.




The options abound as you leave the station. Turn left, and you'll arrive at Vincent's last home, turn right and you arrive at the famous church and eventually at his last resting place.

Lets turn left;



This was the last home of Vincent. You can visit the room where he died by going to the back of the building. The room has been left as it was when he passed away. It has remained empty and was never rented again, due to a local superstition about staying in a place where a person had died by suicide.

Auvers is a beautiful village with many winding paths. It is easy to see how it inspired Vincent..



Vincent reportedly had one close friend in Auvers. The famous Dr Gachet. His house is a museum which contains many interesting items about the doctor. It also has a lovely etching by Vincent. 
Vincent painted many scenes from this house and the gardens have been designed to echo the paintings he made here.


In the gardens there are reproductions of Vincent's paintings next to the actual scenes which are represented in them. 


You truly have the feeling of walking in Vincent's footsteps. Especially when you arrive at the church. 



The church was made famous by Dr Who, but anybody familiar with Vincent's work would recognise it from his famous painting at the Musee D'Osay.

Around the corner from the church and a short walk along an uphill path takes you towards Vincent's last resting place.



But before arriving there, you see the wheat fields. In fact you can stand on the spot where Vincent created one of his last paintings.

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It is here amongst the wheat fields that Vincent's spirit is strongest, you can almost hear his footsteps in the sound of the wind.

Finally, you arrive at the place where the restless spirit found peace.



Truly one of the saddest places on earth.


Auvers Sur Oise is a beautiful village which is bathed in Vincent's light. It is easy to visit from Paris, but be careful, it can be a bit tricky to get home.

Personally, I enjoyed being able to wander around Auvers by myself with brief interactions with all the other Vincent fans there. It was delightful, surprising, joyful, sorrowful and emotional. There are also tours of course, but the information centre in the village is quite good and the staff are very helpful, so it is possible to enjoy it independently and cheaply.







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