Jarvis Family Holiday - Auvers-sur-Oise - Day trip from Paris

There is so much to do in Paris, a life time of visiting. Equally there are tons of day trips from Paris that could amuse a person. I would highly recommend a trip to Auvers-sur-Oise the next time you are in Paris. Totally off the beaten path, and a real gem. This is the village where Van Gogh spent his last 70 days. He died in in rented room here after a gun shot wound to his chest.

What makes this a suprising gem is that there are few tourists in this beautiful country village. There are no direct trains, except for on Saturday and Sunday during the summer and it is difficult to buy train tickets online, so you have to just go to the Gare du Nord, stand in line at the train ticket counter and find a route using the communter trains to and from Paris. So worth it.

This is a living museum. You can go here and travel to the various sites where Van Gogh painted his last 70 painting in 70 days. The village has signs indicating the location of his various works, and have posted a copy the original work for you to compare it to. The village looks much like it did over 100 years ago when Van Gogh was painting in this location.

We just happened to be in Auvers-sure-Oise the day before the anniversary of Vincents' death which is July 29, 1890. Before you take a look at our photos of the day, check out this song about Vincent Van Gogh written by Don McLean. A beautiful song set to the works of Van Gogh.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KLvzF981Fiw

Our first stop was at Auberge Ravoux to see the room where Vincent stayed. He painted several pictures of this room. No one has been allowed to rent this room since his death. They have left the original chair in there, but all the rest of the furniture is long gone. Does this chair look familiar?

... the original chair ...

Here is the restaurant at Auberge Ravoux where Vincent ate lunch at the same table for 70 days.
Remind you of any of his paintings?

The village has a walking tour set out that shows you various sites that have been immortalized through Van Gogh's paintings.  

Here is the painting called L'Escaliers d'Auvers.  

Here are the beautiful Jarvis at the bottom of the same stairs.

We next made a visit to the gardens at Dr Gachet's home where Vincent spend much time painting .

 Dr Gachet showed an early interest in psychological problems and was treating him at the time of his death.  

He was at Van Gogh's side when he died along with Vincent's brother Theo.  

The photo below shows the gardens at Dr Gachet's home.  

On the right side is the actual garden, and on the left is an image of a similar Van Gogh painting.

Here is some interesting information about Vincent's last 70 days including the words of Dr Gachet at Vincent's Funeral.  

"He was a gentleman and a great painter who had but two aims in life--humanity and art.  But it was art that he cherished above all else, and through it he would live on..."

Probably the most famous painting from this period is of the Church at Auvers.  

Here it is

Modern day photograph of the same church.

We walked along a road to see the graves of Vincent and Theo.  

A beautiful and surprising view when you come on top of the hill.  

Which Van Gogh painting does this resemble?  

The wheat field has been cut, but the image is familiar.

Here are the graves of Vincent and Theo, who died just 6 months after his brother.  

Theo died of Syphylis; Vincent of a gun shot wound that I always thought was self-inflicted.  However, the guide at the Auberge told us that in the village, there are stories indicating that Vincent died of an accidental gun shot wound inflicted by a 13 year old boy that was out hunting birds in the field where Vincent was painting.  

Vincent tried to protect the boy by stating the wound was self inflicted.  

No gun was ever found so many people think  this supports the accidental injury story.  

Intrigue.

Here is a painting from the field just a few metres from the cemetery.  

Check out the three roads.  

"Le champ de blé aux corbeaux"

Here are the Jarvii at the same cross roads.  

The wheat fields are cut, but I love how the clouds in both images are boding.

Final photo of the day of four beautiful children along the Oise River.

Lots of love,

Catherine