Discover Creil: Heritage, Museums and Walking Routes

Creil brings together cultural history, museums and routes, as well as events and activities along the Oise. To plan your stay, you can start by choosing a focus: architecture and collections, an event date or outdoor activities will appeal to different interests.

Churches, the Castle and the Pavilion

Historical landmarks include the ruins of the medieval castle. They were classified as Monuments historiques on 17 December 1923. The small pavilion known as the “Temple de l'amour” was built around 1780 at the top of Île de Creil. The oldest surviving parts of Saint-Médard Church date from around 1200. The church also contains the tombstone of Jean De La Haye, which is likewise classified as a Monument historique. Creil’s architectural and commemorative sites from different eras are thus a particular highlight.

Museums and Cultural Programme

The Musée Gallé-Juillet has been awarded the Musée de France designation and houses a collection of around 15,000 works and objects. The Maison de la Faïence explores the history of Creil’s faience factory from 1797 to 1895. It displays hundreds of objects made of stoneware, faience and soft-paste porcelain. The materials and manufacturing techniques used in faience production are also among its subjects. This offers two distinct perspectives: an extensive collection at the Musée Gallé-Juillet and, at the Maison de la Faïence, the history of a specific factory, including its materials and manufacturing methods.

The Espace Matisse hosts free exhibitions throughout the year. La Grange à Musique is a concert venue designated a “Scène de Musiques Actuelles”; its programme varies by season. For an interactive experience, the Musée Gallé-Juillet offers the tablet-based outdoor game Explor Games® “Folle histoire au château de Creil”. Check whether the game is available before your trip. If you would like to plan a concert, take the seasonal programme into account when scheduling your visit.

Routes and Nature along the Oise

The walking paths in Parc de l’île Saint-Maurice are accessible with a pushchair. Signs there provide a fun introduction to the local wildlife and plant life. Conditions may change, so check before your visit.

Parc de la Faïencerie is bordered on one side by the banks of the Oise and on the other by a limestone slope with caves carved into the rock. From Parc de la Faïencerie, the “Côte à Cri-cri” leads on foot or by bicycle to the higher parts of Creil. This allows you to include walking routes and the park’s distinctive landscape in your plans, according to your interests.

Events and Rowing

On the first Thursday of each month, an environmentally and socially minded market takes place on the forecourt of the Faïencerie from 5:30 to 8:00 p.m. Its stalls offer locally produced, organically farmed and fair-trade goods. Market times may change, so check the date before your visit. The Foire aux marrons has been held in Creil city centre for more than 800 years and offers another point of interest for travellers drawn to event traditions.

The rowing club l'Étoile Nautique de l'Oise offers rowing lessons on a calm stretch of the Oise in Creil. Together with the Creil Sud Oise tourist office, the club regularly organises three-hour introductory sessions. Check the dates and availability before your trip, as activity schedules may change.

When looking for a hotel in Creil, the purpose of your trip can be a useful starting point: a focus on museums and history, a visit to the market or a rowing lesson each raises different planning questions. If you want to plan your travel dates around a particular exhibition, event or activity, check the relevant dates in advance.

Discover more destinations: Vieux-Moulin, Montreuil-Sur-Brèche, La Neuville-Roy, Belloy, Autrêches, Montépilloy, Rémérangles, Mortemer.

For the wider travel guide: Oise.