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Territoire Nord Picardie

NORTHERN PICARDY EXTENDS FROM THE NORTH OF AMIENS ALL THE WAY TO PAS-DE-CALAIS. ENJOY THE CHARM OF ITS AUTHENTIC CHARACTER, WELL-PRESERVED COUNTRYSIDE, AND ITS THREE UNMISSABLES : THE UNDERGROUND CITY OF NAOURS, THE CITY OF DOULLES, AND THE GARDENS OF MAIZICOURT.

Select the territory to discover its riches

Explore the underground city of Naours

The underground city of Naours is an immense, remarkably organised site carved out of the limestone of the Picardy plateau, recognised as one of the largest of its kind in northern France.

cité souterraine de naours - Jérôme Halâtre

This ancient limestone quarry was enlarged to serve as a refuge for the village’s inhabitants during the numerous wars and invasions that Picardie has been subjected to. It comprises long corridors punctuated with rooms, which served as shelters for the inhabitants, their livestock, and their harvests. These places of refuge would spring up all over Picardie and were called “muches” (meaning ‘hideout’ in the local dialect).

It became a popular place to visit at the beginning of the 20th century, and soldiers of the Great War left thousands of pieces of graffiti recounting their visits.

Graffitis Grande Guerre Naours - Jérôme Halâtre

Located 15 minutes from Amiens, the underground city of Naours is the perfect place to visit for a well-rounded family outing. To further their visit of this underground location, visitors will discover the museum of traditional crafts and the travelling soldiers’ interpretation centre. There’s a 10-hectare park waiting for visitors outside, with a treetop adventure section, mini golf, windmills, games, and animals.

Discover Doullens and its exceptional heritage

Tucked away in the heart of the Authie valley, Doullens stands out for its exceptional architectural heritage. Like a lighthouse, its UNESCO-accredited belfry looks over this characteristic town, which has long been the subject of dispute.

Citadelle de Doullens - Jérôme Halâtre

To better protect the town, François the 1st had an imposing citadel erected with sandstone bulwarks. This citadel, home to five centuries of history, is today one of the oldest citadels in France, constructed one century before the birth of Vauban!

There’s also a historic town centre in Doullens where you can admire magnificent brick and stone buildings with very sloping roofs, alongside the Notre-Dame (15th century) and Saint-Pierre (13th century) churches, and its magnificent neo-classical town hall.

DoullensJérôme Halâtre

The belfry of Doullens was classed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in July 2005.

Admire the gardens of Maizicourt

Surrounding an 18th-century castle are 8 hectares of different gardens, all with different sources of inspiration: English meadows, topiary, vegetable gardens, ponds, perspectives, botanic collections, and animals.

Jardins de Maizicourt - Jérôme Halâtre

The Gardens of Maizicourt, a veritable haven of peace and contemplation, gives visitors the chance to (re)discover the beauty of Nature as well as the know-how of gardeners.

Visitors can also enjoy the blooming of the village’s flowers, which was ranked three flowers in the concours des villes et villages fleuris (meaning Competition of cities and villages in Bloom). You can’t miss the way the church of Maizicourt is showcased here!