Golf | Walking | Cycling | Fishing | Horse riding | Water sports

There is wonderful walking in Picardy - it's never strenuous, and always a perfect way to work up an appetite for an indulgent meal. Or for sheer pleasure. The options are many - along the coast, even across the stunning Somme Estuary, through ancient forests, on little country lanes in rolling farmland, along riverbanks and across champagne vineyards!

You’d be surprised how Picardie’s landscapes are varied. They provide a perfect setting for any walk, whether you want a 2-hour stroll 'en famille' or a real walking holiday of several days rambling with accommodation in our Gîtes d’Etapes or Chambres d’Hôtes.

There is a network of well maintained footpaths from the sandy beaches of the Picardie Coast to the gentle slopes of the Champagne vineyards, through the ancient forests of the Oise. You'll come across various wildlife - cows grazing in meadows, seals in the Somme Estuary, crabs, horses, snails, wild boar, countless birds, and even, if you’re lucky, a specimen of the real French Farmer… that’s the real France!

You’ll find below descriptions of different areas within Picardie that are particularly good for walking. Please do consult guides and brochures if you are interested. We list for you at the end of this page the main literature available.

Picardie, where walking is a pleasure…
Let’s be organised and start from the North West of the region (the coastline) to work our way towards the South East of the region (the a.o.c. Champagne vineyards of the Marne Valley); basically we’ll start with the Somme, continue with the Oise and end with the Aisne (see map below). (The Somme, Oise and Aisne are the three 'counties' that make up Picardie, each named after a large river).

- THE SOMME -

The Coastline:

- North of the Baie de Somme: the Marquenterre Dunes
Numerous paths explore this landscape of polders, sand dunes, salt meadows and marshes. Part of it is a protected site, the Réserve Naturelle de la Baie de Somme, which covers 3000 hectares. More than 300 bird species can be found there, which represents 65% of all European species. The Parc Ornithologique du Marquenterre, adjacent to the reserve, is of national importance for certain endangered species of birds. Even if you are not an ornithological expert (and even if you have the most blasé children) you’ll enjoy this very well documented and interactive exploration of the marshes. The Maison de l’Oiseau is also worth a visit, with life-like recreations of the natural habitats of a large number of birds.

- The Baie de Somme (The Somme Estuary)
The Bay is part of the very select Club of the Most Beautiful Bays of the World. It is absolutely stunning, and guided tours are available from Promenade en Baie. We recommend you do not walk unescorted across the Bay, as it can get very dangerous. The tide recedes over 14 km at certain times; it comes in twice as fast as it recedes.

- South of the Baie de Somme
There are splendid views from the white chalk cliffs of the 19th-century seaside resort of Mers les Bains, at the southern end of the Picardie Coast. As you get closer to the Bay itself, the cliffs disappear, replaced by stretches of blue shingles caused by the erosion of the flint layers within the cliffs. Le Hourdel, the fishing port on the south bank of the Somme, is the best place to see the seals of the Bay. This is France’s largest colony with over 50 seals.

The Hinterland:

- The Forest of Crécy en Ponthieu (yes, the one of the famous Battle!), North East of the Baie de Somme:
It is the largest forest of the Somme. The forest is still a popular hunting ground, and you may see wild boar and roe deer - if you are lucky and if you keep very quiet. There are many sign-posted circuits through the forest, each taking about 2 hours to complete, with places to picnic and information panels. You can pop down to see the old battlefield, a few kilometres away.

- The Bocage des 3 Vallées area, north of Amiens:
The word ‘bocage’ defines a particular type of landscape: farming country with independent farms and small villages, where hedgerows separate the fields and meadows. The three valleys referred to are the Ancre and Hallue, which meet the Somme River near the little town of Corbie. The Bocage des Trois Vallées is an enchanting and peaceful area, where the green wooded hills are reflected in the meandering rivers. The many trails take you around Corbie, Villers-Bocage, Vaux sur Somme, and many other pretty villages. A few kilometres beyond Villers-Bocage, you come to the ‘Grottes de Naours’. The “Grottes” are actually 2 km of underground galleries and cells dug by the locals (Picards) to shelter from various invading tribes since the 3rd century.

- THE OISE -

- North-Western Oise: la Picardie Verte (Green Picardy)
La Picardie Verte is composed of the open fields of the Plateau Picard in the north of the county and the green hills and bocages of the Pays de Bray in the south. Many little villages in this area have kept their traditional watermills, wells, washhouses, covered markets (halles) …

-The Forests of the Oise (the “Valois”)
There are forests everywhere in the Oise. The area is known as the “lungs of Paris”, as the main forests are situated in southern Oise, only a few kilometres from the outskirts of Paris. The forests of Compiègne-Laigues-Ourscamps and of Chantilly-Halatte-Ermenonville together cover 100,000 acres.

The Forest of Compiègne is one of the most beautiful and also one of the largest forests in France. It was the favourite hunting ground of the Kings; the main alleys through the forest were built by the kings to make it easier to practice their favourite sport. This means you won't get lost in the forest if you keep to the 1000 km of paths and alleys that criss-cross it. There are plenty of things to see in the forest - and not only the several-hundred-years-old trees. The Alley of Beaux-Monts offers a wonderful view over the majestic Chateau de Compiègne, built by Louis XV in the 18th century, and restored by Napoleon in the 1800’s. Pretty villages are tucked away in the forest, such as Vieux-Moulins and Saint Jean aux Bois with its 13th century church.

- THE AISNE -

- Le Chemin des Dames
This ridge road, that rises to over 200 metres, is a site of remarkable beauty, which you can walk along. It is a perfect viewpoint from which you can enjoy stunning views of the valleys of the Laonnois area (that's the area around the medieval hilltop 'city' of Laon, former capital of France). But it is also a site of historical importance as, being high ground, it was savagely fought over on a number of occasions, and most notably during World War 1. It is along this ridge that the famous “Caverne du Dragon” WW1 museum is to be found. Defensive positions were taken in the natural and man-made caves under the ridge, and gunfire spat from these caves as if from the mouth of a dragon. The Chemin des Dames Historic Trail goes through 8 sites of major importance during WW1.

- The Champagne Vineyards of the Marne Valley
Our trip ends in South Eastern Picardy, on the lush slopes of the Marne Valley, with fantastic views over the Champagne vineyards - a.o.c. champagne vineyards that are actually within Picardie. Here the river Marne twists and turns through pretty, historic villages. A good starting point for a route through the Marne Valley is the town of Chateau-Thierry.

And now for a bit of practical background on where you can find maps, guides and other information!

Websites of the 3 'counties' of Picardy...
The Somme: www.somme-tourisme.com
The Oise: www.oisetourisme.com
The Aisne: www.evasion-aisne.com