Parc naturel régional Oise – Pays de France
Forest, Park

Jardin et parc du Château de Chantilly | © Esther Westerveld/Flickr
The Parc naturel régional Oise – Pays de France is a vast area of protected countryside 30 kilometers north of Paris, covering 60,000 hectares, a third of which is woodland. The area is peppered with nearly 60 small towns and villages and is home to 110,000 people. The landscape is made up of ancient forests, marshes and wildflower meadows, and large expanses of heather. The diverse habitats are home to some of the jewels of Europe’s fauna including the stag beetle, the great crested newt, and the hen harrier, as well as several endangered orchid species. It is also home to some major tourist attractions like the Château de Chantilly and the Parc Astérix. The part of the park nearest Chantilly is the most easily accessible from Paris by public transport on the RER D.