Oise

European river that rises in the Ardennes plateau, Belgium, and flows southwest through France for 300 km/186 mi to join the Seine at Conflans-Sainte-Honorine, about 65 km/40 mi south of Paris. It gives its name to the French département of Oise in Picardy.

The last 150 km/93 mi of the river are navigable. The Oise links the navigable waterways of the Seine with the canals of northern France. Several battles of World War I were fought along its banks.

Oise

Département in the Picardy region of northern France; area 5,860 sq km/2,263 sq mi; population (1999 est) 766,400. The main rivers are the Oise and the Aisne. Fruit and dairy produce are among the area's agricultural output; industries include metallurgy, chemicals, plastics, perfumes, and cosmetics. Geographically, the department is a mixture of hilly areas punctuated with large plains devoted to agriculture. There are also large forests, such as those at Compiègne and Chantilly. Principal towns are the administrative capital Beauvais, Compiègne, Creil, and Senlis. The town of Chantilly, with its famous château and racecourse, is in the south of the département.