Driving through Picardy can feel
like visiting one large heritage site
with its numerous churches, abbeys,
castles and monuments commemorating
great events of the past. The cradle of
gothic architecture, Picardy
boasts six magnificent cathedrals,
towering landmarks dominating the low,
gently rolling countryside.
The region suits anyone looking for
tranquillity, perhaps a leisurely drive
or cycle through the neat villages
before stopping to explore on foot. For
livelier souls, the sandy coastline in
the north is a haven for water sports.
Flemish culture holds sway along
the border with Belgium: an
unfamiliar France of windmills
and canals where the local taste is for
beer, hotpots and festivals with
gallivanting giants.
Lille is the dominant city here,
a sprawling modern metropolis with
lively historic heart and an excellent
art museum.
To the southwest, the grace of Flemish
architecture is handsomely displayed in
the central squares of Arras, the
capital of Artois.
From here to the Somme valley the
legacy of World War I, with its memorial
cemeteries and poppy-strewn
battlefields, makes for compelling
viewing.
Cathedrals are the main appeal of
Picardy. In Amiens, its
capital, Cathédrale Notre-Dame is
a pinnacle of the Gothic style - its
magnificence echoed by the dizzying
achievements at Beauvais further
south.
Splendid cathedrals at Noyon,
Senlis and the delightful hilltop
town of Laon chart the evolution
of the Gothic style.
As with all of France the
local currency is the Euro. Whether
renting property to move or
holiday here, more information about
Picardy can be found
here.
Alsace |
Aquitaine |
Auvergne |
Brittany |
Burgundy |
Center |
Champagne-Ardenne |
Corsica |
Franche-comte
Languedoc-Roussillon |
Limousin |
Lorraine |
Lower-Normandy |
Midi-Pyrenees |
North-Calais |
Paris-Isle-of-France
Pays-de-la-Loire |
Picardy |
Poitou-Charentes |
Provence-Alpes-Azur |
Rhone-Alps |
Upper-Normandy |
