What to see in France

Gerberoy, admire the beauty of the village of a thousand rosebushes on a campsite

Village de Gerberoy
Village de Gerberoy

 

Gerberoy is located in the Pays de Bray region, in the western part of the Oise department of Hauts-de-France. A member of the association Les Plus Beaux Villages de France, this charming town will appeal to lovers of old half-timbered houses, terraced gardens, narrow streets overflowing with flowers and facades covered with climbing roses, all surrounded by ramparts. There's no doubt that your camping holiday here will leave you with pleasant memories.

Campsites in Gerberoy

There are no campsites in Gerberoy for your accommodation, but a number of campsites in the Oise region will welcome you, some of which are close to Gerberoy. Here is a small selection:

Located in Le Coudray-Saint-Germer, La Belle Etoile ** campsite is 20 km from the village of Gerberoy. It has 46 pitches, as well as a bar and a grocery shop offering ice cream for those hot summer days. Barbecues are permitted.

Cécile Bourdon's farm campsite is located in Songeons, just 5 km from Gerberoy. It can accommodate 20 campers and 6 pitches with water and electricity connections. Pets and barbecues are permitted.

Les Messanges is also in the commune of Songeons. An artisanal bollard is available for motorhomes inside the site, as well as 18 pitches, where you can enjoy farm produce and barbecues, as well as the village of Gerberoy, 5 km away.

Discovering Gerberoy

A postcard setting that has been the setting for films such as the Maupassant series and Un amour de sorcière starring Vanessa Paradis, Gerberoy is also one of the smallest towns in France. It has had a painful past, and has been besieged, burnt and ruined on several occasions. It has risen from the ashes after a painful history and turned its vestiges into an asset. The painter Henri Le Sidaner (1862-1939) made a major contribution to its rebirth, transforming the ruins of the old fortress into an Italian garden.

The blue house is something of a star of the village, with its half-timbering matching the colour of the shutters and the red roses climbing up its façade. It is a must-see in the village of Gerbervoy, and had an undeniable influence on the artist, as it appears several times in his paintings.

the blue house with its rosebush
the blue house with its rosebush © iStock

From the ramparts, you can admire the superb garden created by the painter, but the best thing is to visit it. After falling in love with the village of Gerberoy, Henri Le Sidaner moved there and had a garden built on the ruins of the old fortress. A veritable explosion of colour from spring onwards, you can admire three terraces beautifully decorated with pergolas, rose gardens, statues and balustrades, and even the artist's summer studio. Thanks to its 25 species of rose, the gardens have earned the honorary title of "remarkable garden".

Example of topiary
Example of topiary© iStock

Made up of yew and box trees, the yew garden is packed with enormous trees, pruned in impressive ways but always with balance and elegance. This is a classical style of art, very popular between the Renaissance and the 18th century, which consisted of pruning shrubs according to the extravagance and desires of the gardeners, and was known as topiary art. This multi-century-old garden, which has also been awarded the "remarkable garden" label, is certainly older than its home, which was built in the early 18th century. It's a place that doesn't change with the seasons, and keeps its colours all year round. A bucolic, botanical à la carte restaurant and a tea room, both set up in the garden, get their produce directly from the yew garden's vegetable gardens.

 

Flowers in general have a special place in the village of Gerberoy, but the rose remains its symbol. It was the painter Henri Le Sidaner who encouraged the people of Gerberoy to plant roses in their homes. Since then, the rose has been celebrated in the village once a year, when it blooms.

Flowery street in the village of Gerberoy
Flowery street in the village of Gerberoy© iStock

 

 

 

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