Compiegne is a royal city in northern France on the Oise River. Still a popular holiday destination, the city was a favorite place of residence for the rulers of France due to the extensive surrounding forest and the impressive chateau, which was greatly improved by Napoleon III. Also of note, this is where the Burgundians captured Joan of Arc in 1430 before she was handed over to the English for execution.

The town itself lies at the northwestern end of the forest of Compiegne, a popular hunting locale in the Middle Ages. The Emperor Charles II founded the great abbey of St. Corneille at Compiegne here, and he also built two magnificent castles nearby. Visitors will delight in the opulent palace interiors, where generations of French kinds played at “being peasants,” in the words of Louis XIV. Also, the car and Second Empire museums are sure to delight, as is the city’s Musee Antoine Vivenel.