First a confession: I had not been to Auvers-sur-Oise since 1971 when my only reason to go there was because there was a rock festival. It had been raining and everything was muddy so I went straight back to Paris. Good news: the SNCF was on strike that day. Even though the trains were running more or less, they were free of charge. Bad news: I absolutely and totally ignored Vincent Van Gogh, because he was not on my agenda.

So, a mere 42 years later I was suddenly struck with an imperious desire to return and pay tribute to Vincent. (If you read my report, you will see what sort of insignificant event can set you off on such a trek.) It was an enchanting day and I took quite a few pictures.

Here is my report: http://tinyurl.com/q2suxce

Stunning... I'd like a poster size "landscape" print of the Wheatfield myself. <GRIN>

You have the gift. Thank you.

Everytime I use my bookmark of the 'eglise,' I picture the village again.

Your report brought back good memories of one of my all-time favorite daytrips. It is certainly too bad that Vincent didn't get to have a much longer and happier life.

We went to Auvers on the hottest day of our late September 2011 trip and were really pretty wiped out from the heat when we left to return to Paris. An old train took us from Auvers to Persan Beaumont where we caught one of those beautiful, new and wonderfully air-conditioned commuter trains.

merci again for posting your wonderful photos - I've been to Auvers a few times and for me at least it was a wonderful surrealistic experience to be like right in those corn fields with crows circling overhead at the exact spot Van Gogh painted some of his very last canvasses - of crows brooding over a darkened sky forbidding perhaps Van Gogh's own sad mental state right before he shot himself. And to see the blood-stained bed still in the Hogtel Ravoux (?), etc.

I always thought overall Auvers was a better experience than even Giverny - Cezanne's portraits are also re-created at the place in Auvers where he painted them.

Thanks for posting!

Kerouac, thanks SO MUCH for that lovely glimpse into Auvers-sur-Oise. I have always wanted to go there. I particularly enjoyed that beautiful house with the lime green shutters – No. 30. And the great flowers, especially the hollyhocks. And, of course, the church.

VanGogh lovers might like to read THE YELLOW HOUSE: Van Gogh, Gaugin, and Nine Turbulent Weeks in Provence by Martin Gayford – has that charming Vincent’s bedroom on the cover. A very short book which really shows the devotion between the artist and his brother Cleo who died shortly after him.

Now if you could only take a trip to ARLES….

I do hope to make (I don't want to call it) a pilgrimage to some impressionist sites in Provence one of these days.

Arles and St-Remy-d-Provence both have done like Auvers and posted reproductions of paintings done by Van gpogh and Cexzanne and a gaggle of other Impressionists who flocked to the Arles area. Especially of interest to me was those around the sanitarium Van Gogh put himself into in St-Remy after he sliced his ear off - something some blame on him eating lead in paints and the effects of absinthe.

Here's hoping kerouac goes to Provence soon! How about some of those proverbial lavender fields?

I appreciate anything Van Gogh. Thanks for posting this Kerouac. I am always slightly surprised how his works draw me in. There was such sadness in his life but his works are so full of hope - saddens me.

I just went through your report on the link above. I have to agree with you that those graves certainly are very moving. Thanks for posting.

Wonderful report! I enjoyed your photos and observations and felt like I was almost along on the trip with you. I was, of course, interested in the church but I particularly liked your wheat field pictures. We were in St. Remy last month and visited the sanitarium -- very moving.

ttt

Another in a series of wonderful reports.

I can highly recommend the presentation at the chateau.

I also loved the special effects show at the Auvers chateau but do not expect a really old chateau - some folks called the show tacky but I loved it - perhaps has changed.

I have heard enough good things about the show to want to see it -- I just didn't want to see it on the perfectly lovely day that I was there last week.

I promise that I will go back for the show.

I would also be interesting in knowing if anyone has had a meal in Auvers and what they thought of it.

Excellent report -- thank you so much! I loved our day trip to Auvers a couple years ago, and this brought back so many memories -- especially the graves that I also found extremely moving.

I know some people say that the chateau show is tacky, but I loved it too. I felt transported back to the time of the Impressionists. I highly recommend it (and would see it again).

You can easily combine a visit to Auvers with a look at Conflans-aint-Honore (sp?) where the Oise river meets the Seine and which is barge central with literally hundreds being tied up here - a really neat site - take the train to Auvers from Gare du Nord then the train down to Conflans and then RER C back to Paris. Not sure kerouac has trained his camera on Conflans but if not here's hoping he will!

So many beautiful photos but my favorite is the stone house with the blue shutters. I don't know why, but I am very drawn to it.

You have given us another good reason to come back to France.
Merci!

Yes, PalenQ, I did a report about Conflans-Sainte-Honorine a couple of months ago, but I don't think I mentioned it here: http://anyportinastorm.proboards.com...&page=1#168266