Battlefields of the Somme
Apart from the large numbers of visitors the Somme attracts for memorial reasons, the Somme is now getting recognition for its natural assets.
The Bay of Somme
The Bay of Somme (Baie de Somme) is a member of the “Club of the Most Beautiful Bays in the World”, with its expanses of open water, marshes, dunes and saltwater meadows where the sea, the land and sky seem to merge.
The Bay’s exceptionally wide mouth into the English Channel offers exceptional vistas that constantly change with the tides and seasons.
Visit the Parc du Marquenterre, one of France’s major stopover sites for migrating birds, which mix with harbour seals in the Bay and the sheep on the salt marshes. At low tide you can walk over the golden sands with a guide, between the pools of seawater. The Bay of the Somme Railway offers an unusual way of exploring the Bay.
Amiens, The Amiens Region:
Drive inland to Amiens for a break that can be both cultural and festive : the Cathedral, an immense stone building, is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
In summer and in December, as night falls, a light show entitled “The Cathedral in Colours” brings to life the saints, apostles and other figures that decorate Notre-Dame d’Amiens Cathedral.
Other events not to be missed include the Jazz Festival in March, the Street Arts Festival in June, the giant flea-markets (réderies) in April and October and the Christmas Market in December.
The little houses of the Saint-Leu district crowd round the foot of the cathedral, right to the waterfront. Their jaunty frontages house bars, restaurants, antique shops and craft workshops that are always worth a visit.
In the heart of the city, you can take a tour in a barque à cornet around the 300 hectares of the Hortillonnages, or floating gardens. Also a must visit is in Amiens is the House of Jules Verne, who settled here.
The Upper Somme Valley
The East of the Somme department was marked by the Great War, particularly the appalling Battle of the Somme that left behind terrible scars. The memory of these events is maintained over 90 years later by memorials, museums and battle sites, which you can visit by following the Circuit of Remembrance (Circuit du Souvenir).
As it winds from its source to the Bay that bears its name, the Somme River creates a mosaic of lakes, which can be seen from several well laid-out vantage points overlooking the valley (Belvédère de Vaux, Frise or Corbie).
Take a trip on the P’tit train de la Haute Somme (The Upper Somme Valley Railway) that wanders through the valley along the banks of the Somme offering some wonderful views of the surrounding countryside.
For full tourist information visit: www.visit-somme.com; and for weekend breaks: www.weekend-picardy.co.uk.
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How To Get There : By ferry via the Ports of Calais (drive time Calais – Picardy 1 hour 40 minutes), Boulogne (drive time Boulogne – Picardy 1 hour 15 minutes) and Dieppe (drive time Dieppe – Picardy 1 hour 30 minutes) :
P&O Ferries operates 23 sailings each way daily between Dover and Calais with a crossing time of one hour 30 minutes ; fares start from £30 each way for car and up to nine passengers. For £12 per person upgrade to Club and enjoy a glass of champagne, soft drinks and the day’s newspapers. More information and to book : www.POferries.com
LD Lines operates four return sailings daily between Dover and Boulogne with a crossing time of one hour 45 minutes ; Spring Summer offer fares start from £29 single (any duration) for a car and two passengers and short break returns from £28 for a car and four passengers ;
LD / Transmanche Ferries operate two return sailings daily between Newhaven and Dieppe with a crossing time of four hours. Fares start from £60 for a short break return and Spring Summer offers from £49.50 each way for a car and two passengers. More information and to book : www.ldlines.com
Other cross channel services include : Eurotunnel (Folkestone – Calais) and Norfolkline (Dover – Dunkerque).
The Bay of Somme
The Bay of Somme (Baie de Somme) is a member of the “Club of the Most Beautiful Bays in the World”, with its expanses of open water, marshes, dunes and saltwater meadows where the sea, the land and sky seem to merge.
The Bay’s exceptionally wide mouth into the English Channel offers exceptional vistas that constantly change with the tides and seasons.
Visit the Parc du Marquenterre, one of France’s major stopover sites for migrating birds, which mix with harbour seals in the Bay and the sheep on the salt marshes. At low tide you can walk over the golden sands with a guide, between the pools of seawater. The Bay of the Somme Railway offers an unusual way of exploring the Bay.
Amiens, The Amiens Region:
Drive inland to Amiens for a break that can be both cultural and festive : the Cathedral, an immense stone building, is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
In summer and in December, as night falls, a light show entitled “The Cathedral in Colours” brings to life the saints, apostles and other figures that decorate Notre-Dame d’Amiens Cathedral.
Other events not to be missed include the Jazz Festival in March, the Street Arts Festival in June, the giant flea-markets (réderies) in April and October and the Christmas Market in December.
The little houses of the Saint-Leu district crowd round the foot of the cathedral, right to the waterfront. Their jaunty frontages house bars, restaurants, antique shops and craft workshops that are always worth a visit.
In the heart of the city, you can take a tour in a barque à cornet around the 300 hectares of the Hortillonnages, or floating gardens. Also a must visit is in Amiens is the House of Jules Verne, who settled here.
The Upper Somme Valley
The East of the Somme department was marked by the Great War, particularly the appalling Battle of the Somme that left behind terrible scars. The memory of these events is maintained over 90 years later by memorials, museums and battle sites, which you can visit by following the Circuit of Remembrance (Circuit du Souvenir).
As it winds from its source to the Bay that bears its name, the Somme River creates a mosaic of lakes, which can be seen from several well laid-out vantage points overlooking the valley (Belvédère de Vaux, Frise or Corbie).
Take a trip on the P’tit train de la Haute Somme (The Upper Somme Valley Railway) that wanders through the valley along the banks of the Somme offering some wonderful views of the surrounding countryside.
For full tourist information visit: www.visit-somme.com; and for weekend breaks: www.weekend-picardy.co.uk.
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How To Get There : By ferry via the Ports of Calais (drive time Calais – Picardy 1 hour 40 minutes), Boulogne (drive time Boulogne – Picardy 1 hour 15 minutes) and Dieppe (drive time Dieppe – Picardy 1 hour 30 minutes) :
P&O Ferries operates 23 sailings each way daily between Dover and Calais with a crossing time of one hour 30 minutes ; fares start from £30 each way for car and up to nine passengers. For £12 per person upgrade to Club and enjoy a glass of champagne, soft drinks and the day’s newspapers. More information and to book : www.POferries.com
LD Lines operates four return sailings daily between Dover and Boulogne with a crossing time of one hour 45 minutes ; Spring Summer offer fares start from £29 single (any duration) for a car and two passengers and short break returns from £28 for a car and four passengers ;
LD / Transmanche Ferries operate two return sailings daily between Newhaven and Dieppe with a crossing time of four hours. Fares start from £60 for a short break return and Spring Summer offers from £49.50 each way for a car and two passengers. More information and to book : www.ldlines.com
Other cross channel services include : Eurotunnel (Folkestone – Calais) and Norfolkline (Dover – Dunkerque).
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External Links
Somme TourismSomme Tourism Official siteEurotunnel Official SiteThe fastest way to cross the English ChannelP&O FerriesThe largest ferry operator to France