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Voykit pocket guide · France
Beauvais
One day covers the cathedral, museum and a quick look at the low‑cost airport; add a half‑day if you want the lake or a show.
Beauvais is a small town 90 km north of Paris, known for its huge Gothic cathedral, the Musée départemental de l'Oise and a budget airport serving discount airlines. Its sights are compact, so a single day is enough for the main attractions; extra time is only needed for leisure activities like the lake or concerts.
- Country
- France
- Best months
- May–September
- Avoid
- January–February (cold, limited opening hours)
- Stay
- 0–1 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- EUR
- Money
- Currency is the euro (EUR, €). Contactless cards work in most shops, cafés and restaurants.
- Daily spend
- Budget €30–50 excl. bed · Mid €60–90 excl. bed · High €120+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Orange, SFR, Bouygues Télécom and Free sell prepaid SIMs in their shops and at tabacs; ID is required to register.
- Emergency
- Police 17 · Ambulance / fire 15 · General emergency 112
- Plugs
- Types C, E · 230 V · 50 Hz · Round two-pin plugs; type E sockets have an earth pin sticking out, so Schuko (type F) plugs need a C/E hybrid or an adapter.
- Tipping
- Café or bar: Leave small change, €0.20–1.; Restaurant: Service is included; leave 5–10% in cash for good service.; Taxi: Round up to the next euro or two.; Hotel porter or housekeeping: €1–2 per bag or per night.; Tour guide: €5–10 per person for a half day, more for private guides.
- Water
- Tap water is safe everywhere unless signed otherwise. Restaurants must serve a free carafe of tap water on request.
- Toilets
- Paris has free automatic public toilets (sanisettes); elsewhere use cafés (buy a coffee), museums and stations, where some charge €0.50–1.
Get in
By air
- BVA · Paris–Beauvais Airport
- Discount airlines; shuttle bus €16.90 from Paris, 1 h 15 min (check 2026 price).
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Language, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Corolis runs 25 city bus lines; line 6 links the airport to the centre (48‑hour pass €4). Two bike stations near the train station and airport. Walkable historic centre (≈15 min between cathedral and museum).
See and do
Known for
- Beauvais Cathedral (tallest vaulted Gothic ceiling)
- Paris‑Beauvais Airport (low‑cost carrier hub)
- Musée départemental de l'Oise (MUDO)
- Lake Canada (Blue‑Flag beach)
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Paris | TER train from Beauvais station to Paris‑Nord, about 1 h; metro or RER to city centre | ≈1.5 h |
| Amiens | TER train, about 45 min; walk or bus to Amiens Cathedral and Hortillonnages | ≈1 h |
| Chantilly | Bus line 30 from Beauvais to Chantilly, about 40 min; walk to Château de Chantilly | ≈1 h |
Sleep
- Hôtel F1 Beauvais
- Budget chain, rooms €30–60 per night, central location.
- Première Classe Beauvais
- Similar price range, basic amenities.
Language
French is the language of daily life. In Paris hotels, museums and restaurants near sights, English works; in rural France it thins quickly. A greeting in French (bonjour, merci, s'il vous plaît) matters more than fluency, and many people switch to English once you have tried.
- Use 'vous' with anyone you do not know; 'tu' is for friends, children and people who invite you to use it.
- Regional languages survive: Breton, Alsatian, Occitan, Basque and Corsican appear on signs and in names.
- Numbers from 70 to 99 are built by addition (soixante-dix = 60+10); check prices in writing.
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Say 'bonjour madame/monsieur' on entering any shop, bus or office; avoid: Asking a question before saying bonjour — it is read as rude
- Cheek kisses (la bise): Follow the other person's lead; one to four kisses depending on region; avoid: Initiating la bise with strangers or in business
- Addressing people: Use 'vous' and titles until invited otherwise; avoid: First names and 'tu' with older people or staff
- Restaurants: Wait to be seated in restaurants; call the waiter 'monsieur' or 'madame'; avoid: 'Garçon', snapping fingers, asking for the bill before you are finished
- Conversation: Debate is a pleasure; food, politics and philosophy are fair game; avoid: Asking about salary or religion; loud voices on trains
- Dinner at a home: Bring flowers (not chrysanthemums), chocolates or a good bottle; arrive 10–15 minutes late; avoid: Cutting the tip off a cheese wedge or asking for ketchup
- Dress: Smart-casual in cities; covered shoulders in churches; avoid: Beachwear in town centres
Scams and watch-outs
- Shuttle bus schedules vary; check the latest times before travel.
- Some museum days are closed (Tuesdays, holidays).
- Winter evenings can be cold; dress warmly.
Beauvais is generally safe; petty theft can occur in busy areas, keep belongings close.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Beauvais yet. Suggested stay: 0–1 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Beauvais Cathedral (tallest vaulted Gothic ceiling)
- Paris‑Beauvais Airport (low‑cost carrier hub)
- Musée départemental de l'Oise (MUDO)
- Lake Canada (Blue‑Flag beach)
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Beauvais municipal council: www.beauvaisis.fr
- Paris–Beauvais Airport official site: www.aeroportparisbeauvais.com/en/passengers
- Wikivoyage: Beauvais, revision 5317706 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5317706
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/beauvais). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.