Normandy / Picardy

These Northern regions, with their lush, pastoral settings of apple orchards, contented cows, full-bodied cider and pungent cheeses, keep the visitors coming back.

Picardy’s natural beauty

Some say that Picardy is where the Real France begins. This is an enchanting region of woods and valleys, chateaux and abbeys. It’s the place where you meet true craftsmanship in basketry, marquetry (wood veneering), glass and metal objects.

The region has much to offer. Amiens has its majestic Gothic Cathedral. The city is also known for the hortillages, a labyrinth of green gardens crisscrossed by narrow canals along the Somme River.

Looking across the gently unfolding landscape of the Somme, it’s hard to imagine the experiences of the Great War. That’s what makes visiting the old battlefields so fascinating.

The charm of Normandy

The Normandy region combines a 360-mile coastline, including the dramatically evocative World War II landing beaches, with a verdant interior of rich farmland, bustling market towns, and historic landmarks such as the cities of Caen, Bayeux and Rouen.

This is a maritime land with breath-taking, jagged cliffs along the coastline such as in Etretat and charming ancient little harbours like Honfleur. The region is also noted for its passion for horses, as you’ll discover if you visit Le Haras du Pin, the exceptional horse stud farm in Orne county.

The jewel in Normandy is definitely the extraordinary Mont-St-Michel. Extending one kilometer in diameter and standing 80 meters high, it juts defiantly above the ocean. It is the second most visited place in France after the Eiffel Tower.
 

Abundant food choices

Normandy dishes include duckling à la rouennaise and goose en daube. In neighbouring Picardy why not try Andouillette d'Amiens - meatball of minced pork with white of bread, egg, onions and garlic.