Péronne: Discover History and Culture

Péronne offers several ways to plan a stay that combines history and culture with time outdoors. The Historial de la Grande Guerre and the Musée Alfred-Danicourt have different focuses, while the Porte de Bretagne tells the story of the town’s former fortifications. Parc du Cam adds a path around the pond and other leisure activities. As you plan, you can decide whether to focus more on museums and historic buildings, a stroll in the green spaces or activities at Étang du Cam.

Museums: From the World War to Archaeology

The Historial de la Grande Guerre is located in the medieval castle of Péronne. Its modern building houses five permanent exhibition halls and two audiovisual rooms. Their exhibits cover the First World War, from its origins to its consequences. The Salles des Gardes also present local history, including the history of Péronne’s castle and its region, as well as the Battle of Mont-Saint-Quentin. This offers two distinct perspectives: a broad historical view of the war and the history of the area.

The Musée Alfred-Danicourt has a different focus. Founded in 1877, it is now housed in four rooms on the first floor of Péronne Town Hall. Its archaeological collections are particularly known for the exceptional quality of their ancient glyptics, numismatics and goldsmithing. Glyptics is the art of carving precious stones, while numismatics is the study of coins; the collections also include goldsmiths’ work. If you are choosing between the museums, you can compare a look at the First World War and local history with a focus on archaeological collections.

Porte de Bretagne and the Fortifications

The Porte de Bretagne was built in 1602 during the reign of Henry IV. It replaced the Porte Saint-Sauveur, which had been damaged during the siege of 1536. The Porte de Bretagne is the only surviving remnant of the fortifications that surrounded old Péronne. Two other dates tell part of its more recent history: it was listed as a historic monument in 1925 and restored in 1927. The structure therefore offers a way to trace both the former role of the fortifications and later efforts to preserve it.

Parc du Cam, the Path and Activities

A landscaped path runs around Étang du Cam in Parc du Cam. Along the path are picnic areas and green spaces, as well as remains of former fortifications. The park therefore brings together the pond and green spaces with visible traces of the old town fortifications. On its return leg, La balade Péronnaise passes through Parc du Cam and offers a view of the Historial de la Grande Guerre.

La balade Péronnaise also passes beneath the Porte de Bretagne; after that, you can see Les Hardines. These vegetable gardens gradually took shape as marshes and ditches were dug out. If you are planning the route, bear in mind that trail conditions can change and check the latest conditions before your outing.

For activities at Étang du Cam, Au Fil du Cam offers seven high ropes courses of varying difficulty. These include a 165-metre-long zip line over the pond. You can also canoe and kayak on the calm waters of Étang du Cam. The activities offer different experiences: the courses take you up high, the zip line crosses above the water, and paddling is available by canoe or kayak. Operating details can change, so check the latest information about activities when adding them to your plans.

To choose the focus of your trip, you can weigh up the museum exhibits and historic buildings against the paths and activities at Étang du Cam. Depending on your interests, you can explore Péronne through its history or through the combination of parkland and leisure activities.

Discover more destinations: Cahon Gouy, Grand-Laviers, Béthencourt-Sur-Mer, Woignarue, Mailly-Maillet, Beauchamps, Beaumetz, Breuil.

See the broader travel overview: Somme.