Cradle of French history, the Oise department offers visitors a breath of fresh air just outside Paris. Oise, land of cathedrals and churches, offers an impressive architectural heritage that is well worth discovering, including the magnificent cathedrals of Beauvais and Noyon. Oise is also a treasure trove of châteaux, home to the famous Château de Chantilly and Pierrefonds Castle, not to mention the Imperial Palace in the town of Compiègne, surrounded by its majestic forest and former residence of most of France's kings and emperors. Another must-see site is the village of Gerberoy, listed as one of the "Most Beautiful Villages of France". With its 128,000 hectares of forest, its plains and hills, its rivers, lakes and ponds, Oise is home to a remarkable natural heritage. This verdant wealth has favoured the blossoming of numerous leisure activities and outdoor sports, such as hiking (2,000 km of trails). Indeed, Oise is proud to be known as the "green lung" of the Île-de-France region, with its three vast forests forming the Massif des Trois Forêts. The department offers food lovers its Chantilly cream, its button mushrooms, its "tomme au foin" cheese and its red berries. You can also enjoy fun and thrills at the Parc Astérix theme park, or at other amusement parks such as the Mer de Sable and Parc Saint Paul.