Picardy

城市概覽

Destroyed in parts by both world wars, once home to one of Europe's most extensive industrial sectors, and cold by French standards, this is not a major tourist region, at least on paper. Indeed, many who don't know any better view the region as simply an expanse of nothingness to cross on the way to somewhere else. However, those who stop to look closer may find beautiful countryside, fine local foods and beers, and many historical landmarks. War history buffs in particular will be in heaven. Because of its position between Paris, the Low Countries, and the English Channel, this region has often been the setting for invasions and battles. The two world wars ripped through, leaving a legacy of memorials and mass graves. Notable are the battle-scarred fields of the Somme where French, British, Canadian, Australian, and African soldiers fought the Germans in World War I, and the camp in Compiègne where, during World War II, prisoners were kept while waiting for "transportation to the east". The current region of Hauts-de-France was created in 2016 after administrative reorganisation grouped Nord-Pas de Calais and Picardy. The latter had been a province dating back to the Middle Ages, and its removal from the map has caused some controversy, with the slogan Touche pas à ma Picardie ! (Hands off my Picardy!) becoming current. The name Hauts-de-France means "heights of France", which refer to the region's northern (high) position on the map, rather than physical height. In fact, this is one of the flattest and most low-lying regions of Europe, an irony not unnoticed by the French press, which has roundly mocked the choice of name.

Tourist information Hauts-de-France Tourism website

如何抵達

By train On the Paris-Brussels/London high-speed rail corridor, the region is highly accessible by train. From London St Pancras, most Brussels-bound Eurostar trains stop at Lille Gare de l'Europe (1 hr 20 min from London) and some also stop at Calais Fréthun (1 hr 2 min). Travellers coming from Paris Gare du Nord have a choice between the high-speed TGV, stopping at Gare TGV Haute-Picardie (between Amiens and Saint-Quentin), Arras and Lille (Gare de Flandres), and the slower Intercités service, which is more useful for the western and coastal parts of the region. From Belgium, how quickly you get to the region depends on where you come from. From Brussels, there are plenty of TGV trains going to France, all of which stop at Lille-Europe. If coming from places in western Belgium like Ghent, Tournai, or Kortrijk, there are hourly regional trains to Lille-Flandres. Don't go to Haute-Picardie without assured onward transport; its isolated location has inspired the nickname gare des betteraves ("beetroot station").

By car Driving from Paris is straightforward; take the A1 and your wallet, and expect to fork out at least €25 for the toll. Motorists from Belgium have it even easier, with physical proximity and the Schengen Agreement both playing their part. Drivers from Britain can load their cars onto a Eurotunnel train in Folkestone, and drive off in Calais 35 minutes later. Alternatively, there are ferry crossings (see below). The A26 is the famous Autoroute des Anglais, which conveys traffic from the ferries and tunnel south into France and the rest of Europe. For more detail on the region's autoroute system, see Get around below.

By boat Calais is connected to Dover in England by car and passenger ferry services operated by P&O Ferries and DFDS Seaways. DFDS also operate ferries between Dover and Dunkirk. The crossings take a relaxed 1 hr 30 min, and you get to enjoy a view of Britain, France and Belgium all at the same time.

By plane

There are two smal

當地交通

By train The TGV provides a local high-speed service from Lille, south to Arras and Picardy, and north-west to Calais. The rest of the regional network is provided by TER Hauts-de-France. The entire system is nationalised under the SNCF, so tickets and schedules are easily synchronised. To use the TER and Bus, Tram & Metro services in the Hauts-deFrance region you can buy a Pass Pass rechargeable card from TER and local transport operators. e.g, iLevia in Lille

By car

Hauts-de-France is well-served by motorways (autoroutes), with the following being the most useful:

A1 (north-south): Lille, A21, Arras, A26, A2, A29, Chantilly, Parc Astérix, Île-de-France, towards CDG Airport/Paris A2: A1 (from Paris), Cambrai, Valenciennes, Belgium, towards Mons as E19 A16 (along the coast, then south): Belgium, from Bruges as E40, Dunkirk (A25), Calais (A26), Channel Tunnel, Boulogne, Le Touquet/Montreuil, Abbeville, Amiens (A29), Beauvais (N31), Île-de-France, towards Paris A21: A26, Lens, A1, Douai, A2 A23: Lille, Valenciennes A25: Lille, Dunkirk (A16) A26 (northwest-southeast): Calais, A16, Saint-Omer, Lens (A21), Arras, A1, A2, Saint-Quentin, Laon, Grand-Est, towards Reims A29 (west-east): Normandy, from Rouen, Amiens (A16), A1, Saint-Quentin (A26) N31 (good west-east road in the south of the region): from Normandy, Rouen, Beauvais (A16), Compiègne, Soissons, Grand-Est, towards Reims Some of the autoroutes are free, notably the A1 and others around Lille, and the A16 between Boulogne and Belgium. The rest of the network is tolled, operated by the private company SANEF. Away from built up areas, you'll find the roads of northern France very quiet indeed, with far-reaching views over desolate fields.

必看景點

Picardy is sometimes claimed to be the home of Gothic architecture, and there is certainly no shortage of buildings to choose from: the cathedrals of Notre Dame d'Amiens and Beauvais are two shining examples, as is the basilica in Saint-Quentin. Thiepval - the memorial to the missing of the Somme is monolithic and sombre 1 La Coupole, Rue André Clabaux, 62570 Wizernes (from Saint-Omer, follow the D928 to Wizernes, then turn left immediately after the railway tracks onto the D210; after 1 km, you're there), ☏ +33-321-12-27-27. Open 09:00-18:00 year-round, extended hours in summer. This underground bunker near St. Omer, Pas-de-Calais, was once home to Nazi Germany's V2 rocket programme, and now hosts a museum dedicated to the history of the programme, including its links to the space race. Popular with school groups, the site offers audio guides in multiple languages, has a great gift shop and is bound to make history come alive. €10 adults, €7 children (6-16 years). (updated Jan 2017) Vimy - The site of the famous World War I battle, now a Canadian National Memorial, just outside Lens. See England from Cap Gris-Nez (Audinghen) and Cap Blanc-Nez (Escalles). On a clear day you can see the White Cliffs of Dover, and view the ships on the world's busiest shipping channel, from these points. Villers-Bretonneux - The site of the famous battle in World War I, now an Australian National Memorial just outside Amiens. Écoust-Saint-Mein - The site of the battle during World War I, nowadays it contains a few British war cemeteries. It was depicted as a des