The Picardy region of France : site of world wars, now offers peaceful visits along La Somme
February 15, 2008 // 0 CommentsThe Picardy region of France, whose administrative capital is Amiens, is home to 1,837,834 inhabitants and covers 19,311 km2. Located in the north of France, Picardy is composed of three departments or districts of France: Aisne (02), Oise (60) and La Somme (80). This chalky area joins the North and Normandy, at the same time near to the Capital and to the area that formed the border of France until 1659.
Over history, Picardy was often traversed by troops of invaders, such as the Romans, the Huns, the Franks, the Normans and the Flemish. You can still find traces of each civilization there, starting from prehistoric times through Roman rule, then that of the Carolingians. This region of France underwent many conflicts, which explains the great number of castles and fortified churches such as the castle of Péronne, feudal city and stronghold during the Middle Ages in France. Several Picardy cities still preserve many signs of medieval times, such as Chateau-Thierry and its Saint-Peter and Saint-John doors, the Balhan tower and its castle, and Ham, an old medieval site, and Senlis, dominated by the ruins of its royal castle dating from the 12th century. Compiegne was the setting for the capture of Joan of Arc, a touchstone moment in the history of France, and preserves from this time a remarkable medieval section, as well as a magnificent half-Roman, half-Gothic cathedral.
Certain events were responsible for massive destruction of the historical heritage of Picardy; for example, the Hundred Years War (1337-1435), which destroyed many villages, and the religious wars (1562-1598) which set French Catholics against French Protestants in extremely bloody and savage conflicts. Finally the two world wars left many sad memories in Picardy, such as the famous, bloody battle of La Somme. The town of Abbeville, for example, suffered greatly and therefore shows much recent architecture due to necessary massive rebuilding. Several memorials and historic sites recall this painful moment in the history of France and the Picardy region, such as in Longueval, Thiepval and Albert. Lastly, Picardy also possesses a significant religious heritage, since it joins together a great part of the gothic architecture of France. Among these monuments the Cathedral of Notre-Dame d’Amiens, classified as a UNESCO World Heritage site, as well as the Cathedral of Noyon, built between 1200 and 1400, or that of Beauvais, built in the “Flamboyant Gothic” style.
The landscapes of Picardy are as rich and varied as its history. Each department is characterized by a specific look and its own unique natural assets. La Somme, the scene of bloody battles in two World Wars, crosses a fertile country of plains which benefits from a beautiful opening onto the English Channel. Oise is characterized by its plateaus and its vast wildernesses covered in forests. Lastly, Aisne presents an ore-rich landscape. All combine to form ground favorable to agriculture, which remains the principal economy of Picardy. Mixed-farming is practiced here, and one will find sugar beet, grains, flaxseed and potatoes sharing farmland.
La Somme river is the major element that forms the Picardy landscape, from its mouth in the English Channel to Saint-Quentin. The Valley first of all, is ideal for fishing and offers interesting backdrops along its canals, with many small private farms called “hardines”, in particular between Péronne and Ham. A few steps from the center of Amiens one can find the unusual Les Hortillonages, or Market Gardens, gardens surrounded by water from marshes from Gallo-Roman times, covering nearly 300 hectares. One circulates among these land parcels in flat-bottomed boats. This site, unique in France, is registered with the National Inventory of Historic Sites, as well as being classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Between Amiens and Saint-Quentin, La Somme becomes sinuous and disperses into a number of ponds. Created by the river or man-made, these bodies of water shelter a remarkable range of fauna and flora. These wetlands of Haute-Somme cover approximately 6000 hectares of water and are clothed in generous vegetation and woodlands. A fisherman’s paradise with an abundance of eels, this unusual natural site is also a beautiful reserve for many species of birds.
Lastly, in emptying into the English Channel, La Somme forms a basin of more than 70 km2: the Bay of Somme. Classified as a Natural reserve, this exceptional territory is a privileged spot for the observation of plants and wildlife. It indeed shelters the largest colony of sea-cows in France and hundreds of species of birds stop there during their migrations. The Ornithological Park of Marquenterre, located in the northern part of the Natural Reserve, makes it possible for visitors to discover the fauna and the flora of coastal Picardy, in a preserved and well-presented environment, over 250 hectares of dunes, forests and marshlands.
The coastal area offers a mosaic of landscapes over 70 km of coasts. From the regional border shared with the Seine-Maritime region until the town of Ault, the area offers the last chalk cliffs of the Pays de Caux, remarkable for their white color. Moving towards Cayeux-sur-mer and Hourdel, beaches of smooth stones give way to the mouth of La Somme. After this, the largest dune area in the north of France extends until bay Fort-Mahon-Beach in the bay of Authie.
Moving inland, the interior of the country is just as wild and interesting. such as the ore-rich landscapes of Thiérache, a patchwork of fields and orchards, which shelters fascinating animal life, and the forests of Compiegne, Chantilly, Saint-Gobain and Crécy. With its 320,000 hectares, the Picardy forests constitute the greatest assembly of this type in France and even all of Europe. It serves as a fabulous backdrop for towns of art and history, Chantilly and Compiegne.
Untamed and unexpected, Picardy’s nature and landscapes with all its luxuriant vegetation punctuated by remarkable historic buildings and a long and dramatic history make Picardy a fabulous region of France to walk in and explore.
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