Picardy Holiday Guide

Picardy Holiday Guide

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Picardy - peaceful countryside and old fashioned seaside resorts

Picardy is a gentle region, a land of sleepy towns and villages, old fashioned family seaside resorts, extensive farmlands with doe-eyed cattle grazing peacefully in lush green pastures, orchards bursting with blossom in spring and ripe fruits in late summer, and a warm hearted people. It is hard to reconcile this tranquillity with the fierce and terrible events of the Somme but this is also the place where this battle was fought.

Top 5 things to see and do in Picardy

1. Tour Picardy's cathedrals

Picardy has a glorious collection of cathedrals. These Gothic beauties are found in Amiens, Senlis, Soissons, Noyon, Beauvais and Laon. Picardy has UNESCO World Heritage sites, towns of art and history and lots of excellent museums, so heritage holidays are fulfilling and fun.

2. Visit Parc Asterix, Bagatelle and Parc St Paul

Every parent knows that if the kids are happy on holiday, the grown ups will have a more enjoyable time too, so keeping the kids amused is very important. Picardy has plenty of suggestions for kids, among them being trips to the fabulous theme parks of Parc Asterix (grown ups might just enjoy this one too!), Bagatelle theme park and Parc St Paul, the last being especially suited to younger children.

3. Enjoy equestrian pursuits

Picardy is paradise for horses and for those who love these magnificent creatures. The region has a vast number of stud farms, riding schools and equestrian events, and a full horsey-based holiday programme is no problem to find. The off road and beach riding is safe and delightful, you can visit breeding establishments and attend horse races and horse-themed festivals. Don't miss out on visiting Chantilly, where the Museum of the Horse makes a great day out for anyone interested in equines.

4. Film festivals

Picardy has more than its fair share of colourful festivals and cultural events, any of which supply hours of fun for visitors to the region. Film fans in particular will love the film festivals and following the film routes of Picardy, as at least 250 well known films have been shot here. Some of the festivals offer the chance to visit the locations where the best loved films were made.

5. Try some unusual sports!

Longue Paume, Javelin (throwing to targets, unlike the more common version of the sport played in Britain) and Ballon au Poing anyone? These odd sounding traditional sports are still popular in Picardy, so get along and watch, or better still, have a go yourself! Local tourist offices should be able to advise you of the nearest places to play.

Top 5 towns and cities in Picardy

1. Amiens

The regional capital, Amiens, is a fascinating city. Various different quarters, each with their own particular identities really do offer something that will please every visitor. See Jules Verne's house, take a horse-drawn carriage trip around the city, marvel at the fabulous Gothic cathedral or browse the market in Pigeonnier. The Saint Leu quarter is known for a lively cultural and social life, with a good selection of bars, discos and restaurants.

2. Beauvais

Beauvais is another important "art and history" town. A superb, Gothic cathedral, mediaeval half-timbered houses and a collection of interesting museums go hand in hand with the more modern pleasures afforded by a city break in Beauvais - it's great for shopping and dining too.

3. Chantilly

Everyone has heard of Chantilly cream and Chantilly lace, but this lovely town is also known as the capital of the horse. Horse racing is massively popular in and around this town, and you can continue the theme by learning even more about horses and their role in Picardy's history and culture at the excellent Museum of the Horse. Chantilly is also close to Parc Asterix.

4. Le Crotoy

Le Crotoy is a lively, traditional seaside resort and fishing port. The lovely south facing beach is perfect for beach sports and sunbathing, while the little town has shops and numerous restaurants, serving the acclaimed freshly caught local seafood.

5. Péronne

Péronne, a town in the Somme Valley, is worth a look for its War Museum and the chance to see the battlefields where this notorious conflict took place. Fishermen find Péronne makes a good holiday base as it is noted for great fishing. The town, which features attractive cobbled streets and old fortifications, is also set in idyllic countryside.

Food and drink in Picardy

Cider is the chosen tipple in Picardy, with the pear cider from Bray being of particular note. Shellfish, sourced from the Bay of the Somme are said to be among the finest in France, with other gastronomic specialties hailing from the region including Amiens duck pate, leek tart, cheese tart, Chantilly cream and confiture du lait.

How to get to Picardy

The airport at Beauvais offers budget flights from the UK with Ryanair to the region, making it easily and cheaply accessible even for short breaks. Alternatively, you could fly into Paris Charles de Gaulle airport. You can travel by rail with Eurostar to Calais, or arrive in Calais by ferry and drive to the region in less than an hour and a half. Taking the ferry to Dieppe is also a possibility.

Do you know Picardy better than we do?

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