Picardy is in the north of France. The area is known for its tall Gothic cathedrals, beautiful castles along the Oise river as well as the battlefields and the many memorials from World War I that testify to the past victories and upheaval. However, Picardy also offers large and wide sandy beaches off the Atlantic Ocean with the refreshing sea breezes. Picardy invites you to a relaxing holiday, a cultural holiday or an active holiday.

The landscape of Picardy

The landscape of Picardy is very varied. Along the western part of Picardy, you will find the large channel ports and bathing towns with great, sandy beaches and a rich bird life. On the borders to Belgium, you will find windmills and canals. In the south-western part of Picardy, you will meet the graceful, Flemish architecture that are beautifully showed in Arras.

Large cities in Picardy: Lille and Amiens

Amiens is the capital of Picardy which, besides the Notre-Dame cathedral that is a highlight within the Gothic style, offers the picturesque St-Ley quarter which is an area for pedestrians with low houses and canals encircled by flowers with restaurants by the water, bars and shops with arts and craft.

Lille is the largest city in the North of France and offers highbrow culture as well as a new high-tech quarter. The charm of he city is in the historical centre ”Vieux Lille” with cobblestone squares and narrow streets with a lively atmosphere from elegant shops, cafes and restaurants. Visit the old as well as the new stock exchange as well as the opera house.

Tourist attractions in Picardy

In the Somme valley, you will gain insight into World War I with memorial cemeteries, poppy-covered battlefields and historical museums providing insight into the history of the 1900s. In the summers, in the Somme valley, you can go for a beautiful ride in the little steam train through Froissy and Dompierre as well as between Cayeux-sur-Mer and Le Crotoy where you can experience the sea, the sand and the marshland of the bay.

Families with children and simple souls can get close to Asterix, Obelix, Dogmatix and all the others by visiting the Asterix park in Plailly that takes you into Asterix' world with reconstructions of the Asterix village and the Roman camp as well as numerous amusements and souvenir shops. 

In Picardy, you will find two big castles Château de Compiège and Château de Chantilly. The last one is the French capital for horse races with thoroughbreds. 3,000 horses are trained in the surrounding forests and fields. If you are having a holiday in Picardy in June, you can experience top riders and their thoroughbreds compete for some of the historic trophies.

Sports activities in Picardy

The Somme valley with its small lakes and wood-sheathed islands is a beautiful area for walks and fishing. Off the coast, you can play all sorts of yachting sports, and furthermore, Picardy offers possibilities of canoeing on lakes and rivers, horseback riding, cycling trips, golf and hiking.

Gastronomic characteristics of Picardy

The restaurants in the fishing areas, Boulogne, Le Touquet and Calais, offer luxurious platters of ”fruits de mer” as well as steamed clams with potatoes. For dessert, you will get a huge waffle sprinkled with sugar. The food in Picardy is characterised by the Flemish culture, and therefore, beer and ragout are also popular here. In Vallée de la Marne, they produce 10% of the French AOC champagne. Furthermore, there are a number of smaller wine producers in the region.

The climate of Picardy

The average temperature in Picardy in the summer is 20-23 degrees in the daytime.

Some of the photos are kindly lent out from Maison de la France. Photographers: Hervé Le Gac, Trophée Picard and Sam Bellet.