Hiking Adventure in Van Gogh's Footsteps with 6 miles walk
Description
Trade Paris for a 40-min train ride to the Vexin reserve. In a small group (6-7 max), hike 6 miles through Auvers-sur-Oise to explore the birth of Impressionism and the life of Vincent van Gogh. Guided by a pro, discover what made Vincent unique: while early impressionists chased external light, Van Gogh painted raw, internal emotion with fierce color and thick strokes. We'll walk in his exact footsteps along the Oise River and sweeping wheatfields, immersing ourselves in the poignant village where he spent the final, hyper-productive 70 days of his life, created over 70 masterpieces, and died. Return with a profound view of his tragic genius. PLEASE NOTE: To ensure a fun and fulfilling experience for everyone, the route is designed for guests who can comfortably walk 10km (6 miles) at a moderate pace. This will allow us to fully appreciate the scenery, enjoy the experience together and keep up with the tour schedule.
Tour Options
Itinerary
We start our walk from this town along the river Oise toward the village of Auvers sur Oise
On our way to enter the village of Auvers sur Oise, we take the lunch break in the castle's jardin à la francaise. The museum is not included in the trip.
This is the village in which Vincent Van Gogh spent the last 70 days of his life. I will guide you through the village and show you some of the locations where he did some of his paintings. You get to see also the house where he stayed and died.
This is the church from one of the most famous painting Van Gogh did and that you can see in the Orsay Museum in Paris.
This is the last home of Vincent Van Gogh
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
Reviews(257)
This was one of the most memorable and unique experiences of my stay in Paris, thanks to Victor’s incredible enthusiasm, knowledge, and coordination! You can expect some wonderful storytelling, beautiful views of the countryside, and a sense of really appreciating Vincent Van Gogh’s life and the many important characters in it. Victor makes the logistics easy, and the many discoveries delightful. The small group made the experience lovely as well. Impressionism & hiking fans alike will absolutely adore this trip!
It was very informal and gave me a good idea of Van Gogh's life. Our guide Victor was very pleasant and had a great time on the tour. One thing I want to say is that we in our 70s want people to slow down a bit more. But if you are interested in Van Gogh, this tour is for you!
We had previously reviewed this experience and just now noticed that we gave the tour 4 stars by mistake. This is definitely a 5 star tour and one of the favorite (of many) tours we have taken. Just book it!
What a beautiful and enriching experience! The views during the walk were just sublime. Victor is really kind and I loved the way he conducted the tour. It was incredibly fun and engaging throughout, and I learned so many new things! I would highly recommend booking this tour with Victor if you enjoy art history, nature walks, and peaceful surroundings.
It was a fantastic hiking tour with Victor! He was knowledgeable and friendly. The hike was well-paced, the scenery was beautiful, and Victor shared interesting information along the way. I highly recommend this tour and would gladly hike with Victor again.
Worth every cent ten times over! Victor, the host, was not only so very knowledgeable about his subject and eager to share, but he was also one of the kindest human beings ever. There are not enough words to describe the pleasure of spending a day with Victor, nor his presentation of his vast knowledge. The more I look back on the experience, the more I realize how much I now love knowing about the amazing life of an artist I actually had no prior interest in, other than from the Don McLean song, "Vincent." This tour was originally for no other real purpose than to take a hike outside of the city, and see some of the landscape, but ended up being so much more! Thank you, Victor, for sharing a strange and beautiful new world, place, and time with me!
Second time with Victor and even better than the last one. He is an absolute font of knowledge about van Gogh and knows how to create a fascinating tour within the context of a brisk walk in the countryside. Recommended 100%.
Victor was an excellent tour guide and storyteller. From start to finish, we were totally engaged in the tour because of his incredible storytelling ability. We would highly recommend this tour.
After scheduling conflicts over the years during visits to Paris, I finally took the hiking adventure with Victor. And wow it was worth the wait! Communication with Victor is efficient and he tells you exactly what to expect. We met at the Gare du Nord train station meeting spot, which was easy to find even on a busy morning. I contemplated just going in my walking shoes to keep my packing light, but glad I brought my low cut hiking shoes. While there are only a few spots I can remember having to step above knee high, the extra tread comes in handy. The time flew by as Victor asks you topical questions to get you to think- and remember- what was going on in Vincent's lifetime. Before you know it, you will be at Vincent's final resting place next to brother Theo. Whether you love Van Gogh, art, hiking, or none, Victor's hike is a welcome outdoor excursion worthy of anyone's time.
It is a marvelous experience that combines hiking with art. Víctor is an expert on the subject; it is clear that it is one of his passions, and he conveys that. You can appreciate the place, and he gives you an explanation of how it relates to the Impressionist artists and the life of Vincent van Gogh.
