The departement of Somme in the northern region of Picardie is most famous nowadays for the horrendous battles that took place there during the First World War. Many of the visitors to this area even today are here to visit the many memorials to those who lost their life or the museums dedicated to this period in history. However, the area is also popular with those who enjoy touring historical towns, unspoilt coastline and even stepping back in time.
The Circuit of Remembrance is the name given to a route that takes visitors to many of the most significant First World War memorials in the Somme area, including the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme and cemeteries devoted to soldiers from countries as far away as South Africa and Australia. The nearby town of Albert is home to a museum which details life in the trenches in all its horror, while there is a more general museum dedicated to this period of history in the fortress at Peronne. Using a collection of military and everyday objects, as well as interactive exhibitions, visitors of all ages will learn something about these dark days in Europe.
The main town in the Somme region is Amiens, a pleasant and picturesque town with winding streets, half-timbered houses, pleasant canal-side cafes and the largest cathedral in France. Perhaps the most spectacular part of the Gothic construction, apart from its size, is an astronomical clock consisting of 52 different faces and with over 90,000 moving parts. On the outskirts of the town are an unusual collection of gardens, sited on small islands within a network of canals. In the past, these were used to grow produce for residents of the town, but today many are owned privately and feature beautiful arrangements of plants and flowers. By far the best way to explore these gardens is on one of the traditional canal boats. Children may prefer a trip to Samura Park, an interactive, outdoor museum dedicated to illustrating what life was like in prehistoric times, featuring live actors, demonstrations of traditional crafts and even workshops for young ones to join.
The Somme region, indeed the whole of Picardie, has only a short stretch of coastline along the English Channel, but the area is unspoilt and features some wild and exposed beaches that are ideal for walking. Most of these are backed by sand dunes, providing some shelter from the wind, if you are determined to spend the day on the beach! The conditions here make the beaches ideal for some of the more extreme coastal sports, such as sand-yachting, speed-sailing and kite-surfing.
Looking for self catering holiday accommodation in Somme? Then below is a selection of gites in Somme and villas in Somme that can be rented direct from their owners. You can either click on each listing for further details or you can use our search engine on the left if you are looking for something in particular.
