Senlis is part of the province of l'Oise in the region of Hauts-de-France in the north of France. It is situated on the river Nonette, between the forests of Chantilly and d'Ermenonville in the South and d'Halatte on the North. It is located 40 kilometers from the north of Paris, 44 km from Beauvais and 79 km from Amiens. The highest point of the town (140m) lies at the heart of the forest Halatte and the lowest point is located on the banks of the Nonette, west of the city.

Geologically, the area is occupied by a vast limestone plateau of the Lutetian covered mostly in silt.

This medieval town has welcomed some of the most renowned figures in French history, including Hugh Capet, Louis IX, the Marshal of France, Anne of Kiev and Séraphine de Senlis. The monarchs of the early French dynasties lived here, attracted by the proximity of the Chantilly forest.

It is renowned for the gothic Senlis Cathedral and its vast historical monuments.

Sights

• The Senlis Cathedral is a Roman Catholic Gothic church and a French national monument. The Cathedral was the ancient seat of the Bishopric of Senlis, abolished by the Concordat of 1801, when its territory was passed to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Beauvais. The southern portal of the 16th century, the work of Martin Chambiges, marked the evolution of Gothic art. The cathedral was built between 1153 and 1519; its 256-foot-tall (78 m) tall spire dates from the 13th century and is visible across the plain of Valois. Its transepts were rebuilt between 1530 and 1556 after being destroyed by a fire, while the side portals and shallow east chapels date from about the same period.
• The Ancient Royal Castle- priory Saint Maurice. The site has been occupied since the Roman era. In the course of the 4th century, the site was visited by the Carolingian kings. The current castle dates to the 12th century and was built under Louis VII of France.
• Hôtel de Ville Senlis has a plaque attached to honor the loyalty of Henry IV of France.
• The former St. Vincent Abbey was founded in 1065 by Queen Anne of Kiev and entrusted to the canons regular of the Abbey of St Genevieve in Paris, known as Génovéfains. The complex was transformed into a boys boarding school by the Marist Fathers in the 19th century and still exists today.
• The Museum of Art and Archeology contains notably rings found in a Roman-Gaul temple in the forest of d'Halatte. It is currently closed for renovation.
• The Museum of the Hunts
• The Museum of the Spahis

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