Forêt Domaniale de Compiègne

The state forest of Compiègne covers an area of 14,485 hectares. It forms with the forests of Laigue and Retz, a whole of 32 000 hectares. This beech and oak forest is the 3rd largest French state forest after Orleans and Fontainebleau. A naturally accessible area: The forest of Compiègne is located a few steps from the heart of the city, near the old neighborhoods. It is the natural extension of the park of the castle and of the allée des Beaux-Monts. Crisscrossed by more than 1000 km of roads and paths, the forest of Compiègne offers a wide range of walks or hikes. The numerous paths that crisscross the large forest allow access to the different mounts (Saint-Pierre en Chastres, Beaux-Monts, Mont Berny), culminating at more than 130 meters. A fauna and a flora rich of several thousands of species: At the doors of Compiègne, it is a true green lung which extends as far as the eye can see with trees such as: oaks (3000 hectares planted in the 18th and 19th centuries), Scots pines, beeches, hornbeams, birches, ashes, chestnut trees, maples, wild cherry trees, alders, poplars, elms, lindens... A lot of shrubs such as hazel trees, elder trees, viburnum, blackthorns complete this wonderful natural space. In the plain, ponds, springs, streams, moors and ponds are the living environment of a large number of species: deer, roe deer, hinds, wild boars, raccoons, foxes, squirrels, black woodpeckers... Animal species that also rub shoulders with churches, abbeys or Gallo-Roman ruins. A place dedicated to relaxation and sports: Activities such as walking, cross-country running, horseback riding or angling in ponds find an ideal setting here. Hiking is also one of the most popular activities thanks to the numerous paths: Grande Randonnée (GR), GR de pays, various marked tourist circuits (IGN map 2511 OT). So that everyone can enjoy cycling or rollerblading, the Compiègne forest has 7 cycle tracks, 54 km long, crossing it from north to south and from east to west, including the pleasant cycle track from Compiègne to Pierrefonds (with a return by Saint-Jean-aux-Bois).