VAL-D'OISE

dpartement, le-de-France rgion, embracing the northern outer suburbs of Paris. Oblong in shape, the dpartement extends westward from the northeastern part of Paris to the border of Normandy. It was created in 1964 from the northern part of the Seine-et-Oise dpartement, which in 1790 was formed from portions of the historic province of le-de-France. The Oise River crosses the dpartement from northeast to southwest, flowing through Pontoise, the capital, and joining the Seine River just south of the border. The Seine, in its northern meanders, flows three times along the southern departmental border. The short western boundary is bordered by the Epte River. In the late 20th century the urban spread of Paris continued to encroach upon the eastern half of the dpartement, much of which is covered by the hilly forests of Montmorency, L'Isle-Adam, and Carnelle; but agriculture (chiefly cereal grains) persisted in the western half. Mushrooms are grown on a large scale in limestone caves between Pontoise and Montmorency. Auvers-sur-Oise, which inspired the 19th-century Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh, is an attraction for tourists. Enghien-les-Bains is the nearest spa to Paris. The southeastern portion of the dpartement, particularly the area of Argenteuil, which was made famous by Impressionist artists, is heavily industrialized. The southeast corner includes part of the old Paris airport of Le Bourget and part of the new Charles de Gaulle Airport. The Autoroute du Nord, one of the main French motorways, runs within the eastern departmental border. The dpartement is divided into the arrondissements of Pontoise, Argenteuil, and Montmorency. Area 481 square miles (1,246 square km). Pop. (1990) 1,049,716; (1994 est.) 1,102,804.