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| Musée du Cheval, Chantilly |
Driving through Picardy can feel like visiting one large heritage site with its numerous churches, abbeys, castles and monuments commemorating great events of the past. The cradle of gothic architecture, Picardy boasts six magnificent cathedrals, towering landmarks dominating the low, gently rolling countryside.
The region suits anyone looking for tranquillity, perhaps a leisurely drive or cycle through the neat villages before stopping to explore on foot. For livelier souls, the sandy coastline in the north is a haven for water sports.
| Aisne |
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- Ignored by Brits heading south, St Quentin has an imposing gothic basilica
- Thiérache has fortified churches and there is off-the-beaten track champagne
- Take a cable car to the upper town in Laon or see the superb stained glass in Soissons cathedral
...more about Aisne
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| Oise |
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- No royals visit the forest and palace at Compiègne but its students keep the place busy
- Royal stables and horseracing flourish in Chantilly
- Beauvais’s cathedral was never finished - despite plans to make it the largest in the world
...more about Oise
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| Somme |
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- Gothic splendour and market gardens in Amiens
- Neat rows of white crosses – poignant memorials to the ravages of WWI
- Vast sand dunes on the coast for golfing, sand yachting and kite flying
...more about Somme
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