Climate
Picardy has a similar climate to the UK although it is usually warmer and drier in the summer.
Food & Drink
Local dishes:
Pot au feu: beef and vegetable stew
Duck paté (from Amiens)
Ficelle picarde (ham pancake rolled up and filled with mushrooms then smothered in béchamel sauce and baked in oven until the top is crisp and golden)
Soupe des Hortillons: soup made of carrots
Flamiche: Leek pie (from Santerre)
Andouillette d'Amiens (meatball of minced pork with white of bread, egg, onions and garlic)
Agneau de pré sale: Lamb raised in Baie de Somme where the sea completely covers the pastures 6 to 8 times a year during roughly 8 days, producing a high quality and tasty meat, full of mineral salts.
Eel
Sweet food:
Gâteau battu (from Ponthieu): brioche cake shape like a chef hat
Macaroon (from Amiens): sweet little cake composed of almond, sugar, honey, egg and almond oil
Crème Chantilly (from Chantilly): kind of whipped cream
Milk marmalade (from Aisne)
Honey
Fresh Fruits and Vegetables:
Potatoes
Endive
Watercress
Soisson bean
Berries
Cheeses:
Rollot (from Thierache)
Maroilles
Alcohol:
Perry cider
Strawberry wine
Sparkling wines with demi-sec and rosé
Grénette (oakleaf-based alcohol)
Flipe (mixture of apple eau de vie, sugar or honey)
Hydromel (honey alcohol)
Beautiful cities & places of interest in Picardy
Abbeville
Only 9.4 miles from the Somme Bay, Abbeville is the capital city of the "Ponthieu" area and definitely worth a visit. One of the main attractions is the Boucher de Perthes museum, situated in a belfry with exhibitions that deal with three main themes: Archaeology, Modern Times and Natural Sciences. Bagatelle's castle with its beautiful gardens and the collegiate church of St Vulfran which is a masterpiece of Flamboyant Gothic art in Northern France are also part of the city's main interests. www.ot-abbeville.fr
=>110 miles from Paris
=> 90 miles from Lille
Amiens
Well known for its beautiful cathedral, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage masterpiece, Amiens is also full of other treasures such as its Belfry, Jules Verne's House, numerous museums and of course its floating gardens called "les hortillonages", exclusively reachable by boat and enclosed by branches of the Rivers Somme and Avre. You can also go for a walk in the Saint-Leu quarter with colourful and lively little streets.The perfect place for a city break!
=>82 miles from Paris
=>85 miles from Lille
Chantilly
This city gave its name to the famous "crème chantilly", one of France's most world renowned gastronomical specialties. But you can also visit the town's gorgeous castle with its French Garden designed by Le Nôtre in the 17th century, the Condé museum which exhibits historical paintings (before 1850) and which is, after the Louvre Museum, the largest in France. Chantilly is also the capitol of horses; the city has become the largest horse training centre in the world and you can also enjoy a tour of the living Museum of the Horse, the most beautiful and the biggest museum of its kind.
=>33 miles from Paris
=>114 miles from Lille
Chateau-Thierry
Situated in the heart of the Champagne vineyards, Chateau-Thierry is a charming little city where famous writers such as Jean de la Fontaine and Jean Racine have lived. Overlooking the city, the castle built by Charles Martel is now in ruins but still gives a pretty good idea of its former might.
=>58 miles from Paris
=>150 miles from Lille
Noyon
Near Compiegne, Noyon is a 15000 inhabitant town where Charlemagne and Hugh Capet were crowned. It is also the native town of John Calvin. There are three important places to visit while in Noyon: the gothic cathedral, Jean Calvin museum, and the Noyonnais museum which is an exhibition of the town history.
=>67 miles from Paris
=>86 miles from Lille
Péronne
Péronne is reputed as the site of one of the most important battlefield of the First World War. The Historial de la Grande Guerre is situated in a modern building annexed to the castle and examines daily life during the war through testimonies of those who experienced it and takes an interactive look at the conflict. You can also visit the medieval castle, the Flamboyant Gothic church and the ramparts.
=>88 miles from Paris
=>56 miles from Lille
Saint-Quentin
Built along the Somme river, Saint Quentin contains a mixture of art deco, industrial and gothic know how as well as amazing natural assets such as the Parc du Marais de l'Isle, situated in the heart of the city and a renowned spot for bird watching.
=>106 miles from Paris
=>71 miles from Lille
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