Boating holidays in Somme-Picardie

Very soon after leaving Cappy , past the first lock and lifting bridge, the Canal de la Somme reveals its pristine nature. On then to Amiens and its "hortillonages" , delightful riverside smallholdings, first established by the Romans to provide well-watered gardens. Amiens with its superb cathedral is one of France's oldest towns.

From the Middle Ages, the town has been closely linked with its river, and Louis XI called it "the little Venice of the North" . The scene in the maze of ancient streets, typical colourwashed houses, shops, restaurants, cafes and pubs is truly picturesque . Here every Saturday morning is held a colourful floating market where the smallholders come to sell their produce At Abbeville the church of Saint-Vulfran is a masterpiece of flamboyant gothic art.

Further south, wilderness takes over and the vast landscapes of the Somme estuary make a walk here truly memorable. In the opposite direction from Cappy, another cruise lets you discover St Quentin , where Picardy shows Flemish influences, with its tall and narrow town houses, Picardy is the cradle of Gothic art and boasts superb abbeys and cathedrals as well as other significant medieval remains, its towns having rivalled one another ever since the 12th century in building the finest religious monuments.

Prices:Boating holidays in Somme-Picardie

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