Picardy is...- wild & beautiful
- wild & beautiful
Origins
Our vision of France is deeply entrenched.
In Oise…
Compiègne
In Oise, Picardy, Compiègne is the town neighbouring the small and unique locality called Les Zocqs. Situated on the left bank of the Oise river, Compiègne occupies a privileged geographical position, less than 1 hr from Paris and in close proximity to one of the most beautiful forests in Europe. This has led it to play a significant strategic and military role in the history of Europe, notably marked by the signing of the Armistice on November 11, 1918. As the stage for major events in the history of France, Compiègne continues to be a city that cherishes its rich past while offering an exceptional living environment today. Dynamic university town, royal and Imperial city Compiègne boasts a striking Gothic flamboyant-style Town Hall, numerous museums including the Château, the Imperial Theater, historical sites, an equestrian racecourse, parks, and a variety of annual events such as the May 1st celebrations, Joan of Arc Festivals, and the start of the Paris-Roubaix race.
In Somme…
Abbeville
Crossed by the Somme River, gateway to the Baie de Somme (labeled Grand Site of France), Abbeville is 1 hr 30 from Paris, 2 hr from London, and 1 hr 30 from Belgium, but also 30 min. from the beach and 20 min. from the Crécy Forest (site of one of the battles of the Hundred Years’ War). Winner of the competition for the most beautifully flowered towns and villages in its category (less than 30000 inhabitants), Abbeville is home to several remarkable gardens, and in the heart of this flowery city, architectural masterpieces classified as a Historical Monuments, or inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List can be found.
These two locations are ideally situated to discover the rich history of France and the magnificent remnants of all eras that shaped France and still display its medieval, Renaissance and Second Empire magnificence.
We are all about sharing our passion for the history, places, and culture of an important location that has played a significant role in the making of France over the centuries.
Let us take you around
Château de Pierrefonds, Oise
The Château de Pierrefonds is an imposing fortress of a medieval defensive structure, built in the late 14th c. Photo: Patrick Giraud, creativecommons.org.
Château de Chantilly, Oise.
The Château de Chantilly is a 19th-century reconstruction in Chantilly, Oise department. It was commissioned by Henri d’Orléans, Duke of Aumale, who filled it with his art collections. The estate is now known as the Condé Museum and features remarkable gardens and the Grandes Écuries, which house the Museum of the Horse. The town of Chantilly developed near the castle during and after the French Revolution.
The castle is a protected historical monument.
Photographer: Loyloy-Thal for Pixabay.
Fort-Mahon, Somme.
Dunes of Fort-Mahon in Sangatte Beach. Photo: Pierre-André Leclercq, creativecommons.org
Amiens, Somme.
Notre-Dame of Amiens is the largest Gothic cathedral in the world (200,000 m3, which is twice the volume of Notre-Dame de Paris). It has been classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1981, then in 1998, as a stage monument on the routes of Santiago de Compostela in France.
Boulogne-sur-Mer, Hauts de France.
Nausicaá, located in Boulogne-sur-Mer in the neighbouring region of Pas-de-Calais, is the National Sea Centre and the largest aquarium in Europe. Ph: Tangopaso; creativecommons.org
Château de Rambures, Somme.
With its 15th-c. military architecture, Rambures is France’s first “Brick and Stone” castle. Exploring the interiors the visitors travel a 600-year journey through time. Ph: Zairon; creativecommons.org
Le Crotoy, Baie de Somme.
Starting in 1865, Jules Verne would truly be captivated by the Bay of Somme, to the extent that he would rent a house there and purchase a boat. It was along the Picardy coast that he wrote, among other works, “Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea,” a true ode to the sea and freedom.
Long, Somme, église et château.
Long has been a village of peat diggers that managed to create an exceptional heritage through peat extraction. In 1902, they had the audacity to build a hydroelectric power plant, and it is today one of the favourite villages of France. Ph: L. & C. + Markus3 (Marc Roussel); creativecommons.org
Ermenonville, Oise
The Château d’Ermenonville (Oise) is an 18th-c. castle with a rich history dating back to 987. Over time, it changed hands often and was briefly owned by King Henri IV (17th c.). J.J. Rousseau spent time there in 1778 and was buried in the park. © Paul M.R. Maeyaert; creativecommons.org
Château de Chantilly, Oise
Chantilly’s gardens are one of the remarkable creations of André Le Nôtre.© Zairon; creativecommons.org
Hortillonnages, Amiens, Somme.
The Hortillonnages of Amiens is a 300-hectare area of former marshes located to the east of the city of Amiens. They were developed (most likely from the 12th century) to create fields suitable for market gardening.© Chabe01; creativecommons.org
Château impérial de Compiègne, Oise.
Built by Louis XV and Louis XVI, redesigned during the reigns of Napoleon I and Napoleon III, the Château de Compiègne was a significant center of court life and the exercise of power. The uniqueness and beauty of the largest French neoclassical castle, along with the quality of its interior decorations and furnishings, form a unique ensemble, a historic site that, alongside Versailles and Fontainebleau, is one of the three most important French royal and imperial residences..© Go69; creativecommons.org
Musée du Louvre Lens, Hauts-de-France.
The Louvre-Lens is the first location for displaying the Louvre’s collections outside the confines of the Parisian palace. Since 2012, it has showcased over 3000 works from the Louvre’s collections in Lens, in the neighbouring region of Pas-de-Calais.© Jérémy.G.H Jähnick; creativecommons.org
Saint-Valery sur Somme.
Saint-Valery has traces of a very rich history going back to the Gauls and through all eras till today. Of the fortifications, there remain the Stone Tower where tradition has it that Joan of Arc was held in 1430 and the castle within the old fortified town. .© Cristelle Prieur for Pixabay.
Musée de Picardie, Amiens, Somme.
Since its opening in 1867, the Picardie Museum has been considered one of the most beautiful provincial museums inviting visitors on a journey from the Paleolithic era to the present day.© Chabe01; creativecommons.org.
Villers-Bretonneux, Somme
Villers-Bretonneux was the farthest point of the German advance in 1918 during the Battle of the Kaiser. Thousands of Australian soldiers, reinforcing the British Army, halted the German offensive trying to capture Amiens in April 1918, making the ultimate sacrifice during the Battle of Amiens.The names of 11,000 unidentified soldiers are engraved in stone on the memorial. Photo: Amanda Slater, creativecommons.org.
Mers-les-Bains, Somme
Seaside resort villas in Mers-les-Bains. Photo: Gzen92, creativecommons.org.
Compiègne, Oise.
Clairière de l’armistice.
The Clearing of the Armistice in the Compiègne Forest is the clearing where the wagon was located in which the armistice of November 11, 1918, was signed between France, its allies, and Germany, and later the armistice of June 22, 1940, between France and the Third Reich. Photo: Fab5669, creativecommons.org.
Arras, Hauts-de-France.
Arras, with 225 buildings protected as historical monuments, is renowned for its two magnificent baroque squares, creating a unique architectural ensemble in the world. Both its belfry and citadel are designated as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Photo: Marc Ryckaert, creativecommons.org.
Parc du Marquenterre, Somme.
In the heart of the National Nature Reserve of the Bay of Somme, it is the ideal place to observe nature, especially birds. This protected area of 200 hectares of marshes, dunes, and reed beds has been a prominent site for ornithology in Europe for 40 years. Photo: Alf van Beem, creativecommons.org.