A Travel Guide to Picardie
There are numerous activities to indulge in and many fascinating places to visit in Picardie. The region has some of the finest cathedrals of France, and while visiting the chateaux in Chantilly, Compiègne and Pierrefonds visitors will surely experience a majestic and royal atmosphere. The architectural marvels of Picardie are beautifully illuminated at sundown and along with the surrounding dense forests, gentle valleys and beautiful gardens, they will surely create an unforgettable experience for visitors.
In between the Bay of Somme and Authie lies the coastal resort of Fort-Mahon-Plage. It is a long, sandy and clean beach. Being one of the best beaches of France it is also one of the most visited beaches in the region. A number of watersports and beach activities can be enjoyed here, from beach ball to kite flying, sailing, horse riding, yachting, hiking and sun bathing. The main town has many shops and cafes to entertain visitors. The town is just a street long and is always filled with holidaymakers.
Noyon is classified as a town of art and history. The town revolves around its most important monument, the cathedral. Due to the compact size of the town it is really very easy to explore.
Noyon cathedral was built in between the 12th and 13th century. It was built on the site of the cathedral that was destroyed by fire in the year 1131 and therefore the current design of the cathedral has a combination of the Roman and Gothic styles. This can be easily seen while comparing the Gothic eastern front to the Roman west front.
One of the most important theologians of the Reformation movement, John Calvin, was born in Noyon in the 16th century. His house, which has now been converted into a museum, is located towards the West of the cathedral.
Visitors will certainly find their attention drawn to the amazing combination of architectural styles in St Quentin. The town is classified as a town of art and history. There are a number of museums in the town which cover a variety of interests such as the Museum of resistance and deportation, family house of Matisse, birthplace of Nicolas de Condorcet (philosopher) and Antoine-Luceyer (portrait painter).
The self catering holiday accommodation in Picardie ranges from holiday villas and apartments on the coast and in the towns to gites and cottages in the countryside.
