Flanders, Picardy and the Paris Region

Designed specifically for tourists and containing itineraries for varying lengths of visit, this is a guide to Flanders, Picardy and the Paris region. It includes details of local culture, economy, history, geography, architecture and places of interest, as well as practical information. The land from the Channel coast to the Paris basin is rich in contrasts, from charming villages to Lille's bustling urban centre; from spectacular cliffs and beaches to ancient forest; from pastoral landscapes to the mining heritage. The windmills and forts of Flanders, the cathedrals of Amiens and Chartres, and the palaces of Versailles, Chantilly and Fontainebleau, are among the many architectural treasures, and the various provinces are linked by the thread of history: the legacy of the Romans, the rise of the French Kings, the Battle of Agincourt, the Field of the Cloth of Gold, the reign of Louis XIV, Napoleon's ambitions, the two World Wars.