« WE MAKE MENTION OF THE CHOIR OF BEAUVAIS... WALK IT IS THE PARTHENON OF FRENCH BEAUVAIS ARCHITECTURE; IT ONLY REQUIRES TO BE COMPLETED. » Eugène Viollet-le-Duc / 1868 The City of Art and History Beauvais has been part of the Information WELCOME department national network of Villes et HAUTS-DE-FRANCE Coordinates and implements Pays d’art et d’histoire (Cities « Ville d’art et d’histoire » TO THE TOURIST the initiative of Beauvais City and Countries of Art and Ville de Beauvais of Art and History. All year round, History) since 2012. Direction des affaires culturelles it organises events for local The Ministry of Culture and Espace culturel OFFICE residents and school pupils and Communication awards the label François-Mitterrand is at your disposal for any project. Cities and Countries of Art and Rue de Gesvres Guided Tours : History to local authorities that 60000 BEAUVAIS from April to September This document was designed carry out activities to promote 03 44 15 67 00 Every week, a guide will tell you all under the direction of Marie and enhance their architecture [email protected] about the history and heritage of Ansar, architecture and heritage and their heritage. It attests to All the cultural news about Beauvais. interpreter in partnership with the the competence of the official the city can be found on Information on +33 (0) 44 15 30 34 Tourist Office of Beauvais urban tour guides, and the curators of culture.beauvais.fr If you are in a group district the architecture and heritage and The Tourist Office can organise guided the quality of their actions. From Office de Tourisme visits all year round, advance booking Photos ancient vestiges to 21st Century de l’Agglomération de Beauvais is required. Communication department architecture, cities and countries 1, Rue Beauregard The brochure for groups «Sélectionnez of Beauvais city, unless otherwise showcase the diversity of their 60000 BEAUVAIS l’idéal» can be provided on demand. Are you looking for the ideal stated - Cathedral on the cover : heritage. 03 44 15 30 30 Information on +33 (0) 44 15 30 34 souvenir ? We also offer local products (beers B. Teissedre - Tourist office Today, a network of 186 cities and [email protected] Follow the salamander to its shelter made in Beauvais, cider, handmade - Beauvais countries offer you their expertise More information on at the tourist office. honey, asse’s milk soap, biscuits and throughout France. beauvaistourisme.fr The tourist office shop offers a wide personalized items of the city such Map range of products which revolve as marble magnets, collector’s coins, Geographical information sys- around the salamander, the mythical Nearby: thimbles, keyrings, mugs, board tems of Beauvais urban district Amiens Métropole, Boulogne- animal, symbol of the revival of games... Beauvais. sur-Mer, Cambrai, Chantilly, Laon, Design Lens-Liévin, Lille, Noyon, Roubaix, And it’s not over... Come and discover more items inside the tourist office. Communication department of Saint-Omer, Saint-Quentin, Pays Our team will help you to find the best souvenir of Beauvais to bring it back Beauvais city - 03/2019 de Senlis in Ermenonville and home with you. Soissons have all been awarded the “Ville et Pays d’art et To find out more about the history d’histoire” label. and heritage of Beauvais... ...a collection of brochures are available Available at le Quadrilatère and the Tourist Office ... but also from Beauvais was founded in the 1st Century AD under the name of Caesaromagus ‘The market of Caesar” before being renamed Civitas Bellovacorum or the “City of THE CATHEDRAL the Bellovaques”, from which its current name is derived. In the early Middle Ages, the city was raised to the rank of Diocese, the seat of the Count Bishop, who built his DISTRICT cathedral in the heart of what had been the ancient city. From this time, the city was (1.2 km – 30 min) renowned for its textile activity. In 1664, the city’s expertise in this area led Colbert, the Financial Comptroller of Louis XIV, to set up a royal tapestry-making manufactory, 1 COLLÉGIALE SAINT-BARTHÉLEMY 4 NOTRE-DAME DE LA BASSE-ŒUVRE which found fame all around Europe. Beauvais kept its image as a medieval city until This gothic structure is the only Beauvais has preserved not one but spring 1940, when 80% of the city centre was destroyed by the German Air Force. remaining vestige of the collegiate two cathedrals. As construction of This meant it had to be rebuilt and the urban area modernised, while continuing to church of Saint Barthelemy – a church until Saint Peter was never completed, the first showcase the ancient heritage. the Revolution, only the choir has resisted cathedral, Notre-Dame de la Basse-Œuvre, the passage of time. was partially retained and still stands modestly alongside the imposing Gothic 2 LE QUADRILATÈRE structure. Opened in 1976 to exhibit tapestries produced in the Beauvais workshop, 5 MUDO – MUSÉE DE L’OISE Le Quadrilatère is today home to exhibitions This palace was the home of famous of all artistic fields. bishops including Philippe de Dreux, nephew of King Louis VII, and Pierre 3 CATHÉDRALE SAINT-PIERRE Cauchon, who condemned Joan of Arc to the This Cathedral boasts the highest stake. Today it houses the collections of the Gothic vaults in the world, and Oise Museum, which illustrate the virtuosity symbolises the power of the Bishops of of the artists and the expertise of the Beauvais, the Counts of the city since the department. 11th Century. The facade which appears before you is teeming with sculptures and details. This sumptuousness was designed to dazzle the visitor, whether they were Kings or local people, and continues to do so with 21st Century tourists. © B. Teissedre - Office de tourisme - Beauvais de - Office © B. Teissedre Let the salamander guide Throughout this tour you The Episcopal district is at Vermeiren © Stéphane you and take a walk through will find explanatory panels the heart of Beauvais’ history. You have the choice of two tours. On 2000 years of the history of to enhance your visit. They The forum of the Roman leaving the MUDO, you can go directly Beauvais from the Gallo- are shown by this symbol city, which was founded in to point 9 by turning left. Walk up the full Roman ramparts through in the tour. On each sign, the 1st Century and known length of Rue du Musée and turn right at the Le Quadrilatère, without additional as Caesaromagus (Caesar’s end, until you reach the Cathedral gate. forgetting the cathedral, of information is market), was created in You can also discover the many and varied course. available using this district. It is also here features of the cathedral district by walking a smartphone. that the Count-Bishops of down Rue Saint-Pierre to the right. After Beauvais chose to locate 60m, turn left into Rue de l’Ecole de Chant. their power. 3 6 RUE DE L’ÉCOLE DE CHANT 9 CLOÎTRE DE LA CATHÉDRALE 11 STATUE OF JEAN RACINE At the end of this street, a blue half-timbered As you approach the cathedral, the Sculpted in 1937 by Eugène-Paul Benet, this house was once the home of the sculptor cloister is on your right. Combining a statue is the reminder that the playwright Rodin, who lived there with his uncle. variety of styles and materials (stone, timber Jean Racine studied at Beauvais School. frame and brick) it is one of the most 7 LE THÉRAIN picturesque in France and also one of the 12 THE ANCIENT RAMPARTS NEARBY... Since Gallo-Roman times, the course of the oldest, dating from the 11th Century. From the top of this rampart, you can AVENUE VICTOR-HUGO River Thérain has been deviated to enable contemplate 17 centuries of history! Follow the River Thérain, cross Boulevard human activity, whether to protect the city, This Gallo-Roman rampart is the oldest Amyot d’Inville then stroll along Avenue to provide clean water or for industrial monument in Beauvais. Victor-Hugo, a veritable museum of purposes, notably for the textile activities ceramics. Built between 1890 and 1910, that made the city so wealthy in the Middle After this immersion in the cathedral the houses that line the avenue are Ages. district head to the city centre, which also teeming with details – snails, thistles, has secrets to share with you. Three sunflowers – the works of the local 8 PUBLIC BATH HOUSE discovery tours of the city can be found ceramicist, Charles Gréber. Opened in 1921, this establishment allowed overleaf. the people of Beauvais who did not have a bathroom at home, to have a weekly “full wash”, generally on Saturdays before going 10 15TH CENTURY HOUSE out. It only closed in 1981. The surroundings of this house are an illustration of traditional Beauvais architecture. Most of Beauvais houses were timber frame and clay structures until the 20th Century. Walk around the house and on its right, take the door that crosses the rampart. Opposite you will see Rue Nicolas-Pastour, which is also made up of ancient DID YOU KNOW? timber-frame houses. Turn right and follow Beauvais Cathedral has the highest the ramparts.. Gothic choir in the world The vaults of the Saint Pierre Cathedral, considered to be the “Parthenon of French architecture” by Viollet-le-Duc, soar to a height of some 48 metres. They are the highest in the history of Gothic art! 4 – Comdesimages.com OiseTourisme de Beauvais © Cathédrale 5 THE HISTORICAL CENTRE AND THE SAINT-ÉTIENNE CHURCH (1.2 km – 30 min) We invite you to visit the historical centre 14 FONTAINE GRÉBER 16 PONT DE PARIS following three tours, each of which covers At the end of Rue de la Frette, the goddess Opened in 1951, this bridge was created with DID YOU KNOW? one part of it.