Picardy: Coast, Nature and Culture
Accommodation in Picardy
Picardy brings together a maritime coastline, natural areas, regional cuisine and important cultural sites. When planning your trip, it is worth considering its different facets: the coast and Baie de Somme shape the landscape along the CĂ´te picarde; in Amiens, you will find important aspects of architecture and art. You can start by deciding whether nature, outdoor activities, culture, history or regional cuisine will be the focus of your trip.
Coast, Estuary and Nature
The Côte picarde forms Picardy’s and the Somme department’s maritime façade. It stretches for about 65 kilometres and encompasses the Plaine picarde, Marquenterre and Vimeu landscapes. The Baie de Somme estuary covers around 3,000 hectares. Its landscape includes mollières, where salt-marsh sheep graze.
The Baie de Somme is designated a Grand Site de France and encompasses nearly 11,180 hectares of protected natural areas. It is also a national nature reserve with exceptional biodiversity. Seals can be observed from land from a distance of at least 300 metres or from a boat. The Parc du Marquenterre has observation trails and hides among dunes, woodlands and marshes. Nature watching by the water and views of different landscape types thus offer distinct interests.
Getting Around on Foot and by Bike
The Baie de Somme has 160 kilometres of discovery loops, including 77 kilometres of cycling infrastructure. Around 65 circular routes are available for walking in the Baie de Somme and its hinterland. Route information and available routes may change over time; check the latest details if you are planning a specific route.
Architecture, Collections and History
Amiens Cathedral was built mainly between 1220 and 1288 and is considered a masterpiece of Gothic architecture. The Musée de Picardie in Amiens presents archaeology, sculpture, decorative arts and painting; its timeline spans from the Paleolithic to the present day. Amiens thus brings together both a significant architectural landmark and collections covering a long historical span.
The Hortillonnages offer guided boat tours lasting 45 minutes each. They run from 1 April to 31 October; check the schedule before your trip. The Caverne du Dragon is an underground quarry associated with the First World War and soldiers’ daily lives between 1914 and 1918. Architecture, art collections and the history of remembrance thus provide different cultural focuses for planning your trip.
Regional Cuisine and Seasonal Highlights
Specialties of the Baie de Somme include grey shrimp, salicornia, oreilles de cochon, ficelle picarde and gâteau battu. Gâteau battu is a specialty of the Somme department and is particularly associated with Abbeville. Salicornia from the Baie de Somme is hand-harvested between May and August and eaten raw or cooked. Its harvest season overlaps with the Hortillonnages boat tour season, which runs from May to August; the tours are available overall from 1 April to 31 October.
If you are looking for a hotel in Picardy, first decide which themes will shape your trip: the natural areas of the Baie de Somme, walking and cycling routes, culture in Amiens, history or regional cuisine. This focus gives your search a clear direction and helps you weigh the region’s many facets according to your interests.
Discover More Destinations
Discover more destinations: Aisne, Oise, Somme, Carlepont, Alsace, Provence-Alpes-CĂ´te D'azur, Pays De La Loire, Midi Pyrenees.
For the main travel overview: France.
