While Picardy has a long history of farming and forestry, it also boasts a rich religious heritage. Examples of this include the famous Gothic cathedrals of Amiens and Beauvais, the abbeys of Chaalis and Ourscamp and the fortified churches of Thiérache.
As well as these attractions, there are many other architectural treasures, like the City of Art and History of Laon, the medieval city of Coucy-le-Château-Auffrique, the castles of Chantilly, Compiègne and Pierrefonds, or the charming little town of Senlis. When it comes to nature, Picardy offers a varied range of landscapes, ranging from forests, hedged farmland and crop fields to the hortillonnages of Amiens, through the chalk cliffs and beaches of the coast. A listed Great Site of France and a member of the very select club of the world's most beautiful bays, the famous Bay of Somme is a bird-watcher's paradise, where you can admire many bird species as well as an impressive colony of harbour seals.
Boasting many monuments and tourist sites to enjoy on a weekend or a longer break, the Picardy region offers the delights of the sea and the countryside at the same time!
