Camping in Picardie, avec Paris and peace – sounds splendid to Pitchup.com. The Oise department of this region is so near Paris that Picardie peeps commute into the capital from it (most of Oise used to be in the Ile-de-France), but Picardie is also one of the quieter parts of France so no need to sharpen your elbows in preparation for summer crowds. (Always an advantage on holiday, and we’ll make an exception here for colourful Parc Astérix in Oise.)
At the other end of Picardie is its capital 70km of coastline where plenty of Picardie campsites are scattered: stay here for the long beaches of the Somme estuary, the tallest cliffs in Europe at Le Tréport, commemorative sites of both world wars, and the marshlands and dunes of the Baie de Somme, teeming with migrating birds.
Inland, the Gothic cathedrals at Amiens and Beauvais, the centuries’ worth of exhibits at the Musée de Picardie and cantering around the racecourse, gardens and château of Chantilly, a town also famed as having the Living Museum of the Horse, are other recommended Picardie pursuits – these will likely be a bit busier than the attractions of the coast, but sharpened elbows can still be left at home.
