The Fête de la Science 2026 returns from October 2 to 12 with a simple aim: to show that science is everywhere and can be discovered outside classrooms or laboratories. For about ten days, thousands of free activities are on offer across France, in museums, universities, associations, or right out in the field. This 35th edition, under the theme "Savory Science", highlights the connections between research, food, environment and society. In Chars, in the Val-d'Oise, the event will take place on October 4 and takes on a special dimension by inviting the public to view the landscapes of the Vexin through a scientific lens, exploring geology, water and the region’s history.
Nestled in the heart of the Parc naturel régional du Vexin français, the commune of Chars sits along the Viosne and has long been defined by stone and water. Its name has long been linked to quarries, troglodyte habitats and mills that left their mark on the village’s development. The Saint-Sulpice Church, a designated historic monument, also recalls the town’s medieval roots. Even today, the limestone relief, the valleys and the wetlands continue to shape the landscape, making Chars a privileged vantage point for understanding the formation of the Vexin and the evolution of its natural settings.
At Chars, lift your eyes to the hills, the rocks and the valley to see how much the landscape has to tell. The stones, the water, the old mills and the traces left by the people who lived here plainly reveal how the village formed and evolved over time. The Fête de la Science thus offers a concrete, accessible way to view this corner of the Vexin differently, by linking nature, local history and daily life.
A geological stroll in Chars
Chars is renowned for its troglodyte architecture and its mills, making it the perfect setting for water and stone to converse. The route begins in the village and continues along the right bank of the Viosne.
The valley is carved into Lutetian limestones (the transition from middle to upper Lutetian is visible in several spots). The valley floor hosts a remarkable wetland protected as a Sensitive Natural Space (C.D. Val d’Oise). The path goes beyond the Moulin de Noisement to a garden transformed into an “edible forest” by the Noisette association. We then climb to the right into an adjacent valley and its stream up to its source. The old pumping station located above provides a chance to explain the village’s past and present water supply.
Returning via the plateau offers splendid panoramas of the Vexin’s ridges (the Molière buttes of Serans, Rosne and Marines).
Participation conditions :
• Target audiences : 11–15 years, 15–18 years, 18–25 years, 25 years and up
• Requirements : Booking required
Schedule: Sunday, October 4 – 10:00 to 12:30
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Dates and Opening Time
On October 4, 2026
Location
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chars
95750 Chars
Route planner
Access
Transilien Line J, Chars station
Prices
Free
