Camping De l'Abime

There's a lot to do if you just want to meander around the local countryside: fishing in the Somme from the grounds; canoeing and rafting trips with the assistance of the Picquigny Nautical Base within half a kilometre; horse riding nearby, or tackling the V30 cycle path a couple of hundred metres away. It's well worth a wander around Picquigny too, to see its seventh-century castle Château de Picquigny, set high on a hill with beaut views down to the surrounding countryside. This splendid château has hosted nobility and royalty including Edward III, Henry IV and the famed Cardinal de Richelieu throughout the centuries: it's now open to the public, so climb up to have a regal look. Kids should dig the prehistoric living museum Parc Samara a few kilometres away, a vast space next to the Somme and below an Iron Age fort. There are indoor and outdoor reconstructions of prehistoric life and buildings, along with demonstrations of ancient crafts such as blacksmithing and javelin throwing, all covering 600,000 years of human history. Recreational workshops run during school holidays. By bus or car, have at least a day in spectacular department capital Amiens, to see its Notre-Dame cathedral, famed zoo, Musée de Picardie and the house of Jules Verne among much more: you'll likely want to come back a time or two during your Somme stay.