Forêt Domaniale de Hez-Froidmont
Just 10 kilometres south-east of Beauvais, this 2,500-hectare state forest of beech and oak is one of the most accessible wilderness escapes in the Hauts-de-France. In autumn the canopy turns copper and amber; in spring the forest floor is carpeted with wild garlic and wood anemones.
Walking and cycling the forest
The ONF (Office National des Forêts) has marked out seven colour-coded walking trails ranging from a gentle 4-kilometre loop to a challenging 18-kilometre circuit that takes in the forest's highest ridge at 220 metres. Trail maps are available at the Beauvais tourist office and at the main car park off the D12 road near the village of Hez.
Mountain bikers use the same network of forest roads, and the wide compacted-gravel tracks make it suitable for hybrid bikes. On weekday mornings you can walk for an hour without seeing another soul — a remarkable fact given the proximity to a city of 60,000 people.
Wildlife and seasonal highlights
Roe deer are common and often visible at dawn near the forest's eastern clearings. The forest also supports a healthy population of wild boar — you're unlikely to encounter them on marked trails, but their rootings are visible in soft ground throughout.
Autumn mushroom season (late September to November) draws foragers from across the Oise département. Ceps, chanterelles and pieds-de-mouton grow abundantly after rain. If you pick, respect the 2-kilogram personal limit and use a wicker basket so spores disperse as you walk.
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