Lovers of nature, calm and greenery: the choice is vast...

You will be surprised by the wealth of our natural heritage. Discover this region where three rivers meet: the Somme, the Hallue and the Ancre.

PHead up to the Sainte Colette viewpoint in Corbie : : from here you will have a wonderful view over the ponds and marshes, where you can observe waterfowl and you might even glimpse a floating duck blind or boat.

This special geography is the source of legends and tales that will captivate you on your walks. Don’t miss the Fréchencourt turning wells with turquoise blue water where it is said a carriage once lost its treasure...
You will also discover the larris, chalky hillsides or dry valleys (Vaux sur Somme, Sailly, Laurette, Daours, etc.) with their specific fauna and flora.

Or why not take a barge on the Somme canal, go through the locks, chat with walkers and inhabitants and live to the rhythm of the water: calm and serenity guaranteed.

The Heilly ponds, the woody zones, the cultivated fields, the newly planted hedges, the valleys and the plateaus offer a panorama that is a far cry from the reputation of a "flat country".
Inhabitants and communes are convinced that a pleasant, flower-decorated setting is something appreciated by everyone and that this symbolises the hospitality you will enjoy here.

Lovers of authenticity and tradition, let your emotions guide you…

Soak up the atmosphere at the Corbie market (every Friday morning) or the Villers-Bretonneux market (Wednesday morning) to taste local and seasonal products (cress, chicory, red fruits, etc.) and on the way, tempted by the delicious smells, taste the Pavé de Corbie. Before leaving, stock up on local products.
If you feel like it, hang around a bit to watch the fishermen (but don’t make too much noise!) and try out fishing techniques like still fishing or casting, or go and see the fish at the Fréchencourt fish farm. Our region is known for its predator fish (pike, perch, zanders, etc.) and white fish (roach, tench, eel, carp, etc.). After a few minutes of stillness, perhaps you’ll see waterfowl and floating duck blinds.
You can learn as you walk at the Heilly ponds, thanks to information panels that tell you about the local fauna and flora. Take advantage to walk on the GR 124 (national hiking trail) or to use the small way marked routes (on foot, horse-back or bike) that cross the commune.
The 18-hole golf course in
Querrieu offers a lovely stroll in a woody site.

As you go from village to village, you will also see that handicrafts are still going strong and a number of craftspeople continue to practice the professions of cabinetwork, pottery, saddlery, etc. Farming techniques will be explained to you in the Miniature Farming Museum in Bayonvillers. At the weekend, wander through our “réderies” (flea markets) to find that rare object.
If you're interested in artistic works, the Tourist Office regularly exhibits work by our artists, while theatre plays and music from budding or confirmed artistes are often spotlighted in the region.

If there’s still time, go back to the village and sit down on a bench to watch our traditional games being played: balle à la main(palm ball) in and around Corbie and ballon au poing (wrist ball) near Villers-Bocage. Both are games of skill and tactics.

History lovers will be overwhelmed with the diversity of our cultural heritage

In the olden days…

In the middle of the fields, admire the Oblicamps Stone or the Bavelincourt Menhir where fairies and witches used to come to dance. A few kilometres away, in Ribemont sur Ancre, there is a Roman temple. Discovered in around 1960 thanks to aerial photos, this exceptional site preserves the vestiges of a Gallo-Roman town with thermal baths, a theatre and boutiques.

The Archaeological Centre also conserves traces of an important Gaulish sanctuary made of bones before the arrival of the Romans. Don’t hesitate to visit this centre whose reputation has spread beyond our borders!

The Corbie Abbey

The small town of Corbie still conserves memories of its grand past. The seat of an abbey under the direct orders of the Papacy, it was home to 300 Benedictine monks at its height. Founded by Queen Bathilde in the 7th century, it developed extraordinarily under the reign of the Abbot-Count Adalhard, cousin of Charlemagne.
As you go through the monumental gateway and as you admire the works kept in the Musée des Amis du Vieux Corbie and the abbey-church, you will understand the political importance of this monastery, which once upon a time invented lower-case writing, the "Caroline minuscule" that we use to write today.

Walking around Corbie, you will find it hard to believe that 12 churches and chapels used to rub shoulders here. But just admire the tympanums of the Saint-Etienne church or the Notre-Dame de la Neuville church, in magnificent flamboyant Gothic style.

The memory trail

It was from Doullens, which was elected headquarters of the allied forces in the First World War, that the counter-attack on the biggest German offensive was launched. The Australians stopped this attack in Villers-Bretonneux and modern war tactics were invented in Le Hamel.
Today, when you cross these sites with the horse, Pensée de Le Hamel, the remains of trenches and shell craters attest to the bravery of these combats where it is said that Australian national identity was awoken.

The Franco-Australian Museum in Villers Bretonneux and the memorial monuments in these towns enable you to contemplate and understand the importance of this human investment. ANZAC Day commemorates this battle each year at the end of April.

On the way:

You will be attracted by the diversity of our rural heritage: medieval churches like La Vicogne, Montigny sur l’Hallue; Renaissance churches like Béhencourt, Harbonnières;

18th-century castles in Bertangles or Hénencourt; the 19th-century protestant temple in Contay and the churches of the Reconstruction period in Lamotte-Warfusée and Cachy, etc.
In each village or hamlet, castles and churches will call out to you. Visit them close up to admire them in detail.
On the main historical, rural and natural heritage sites, you will find bilingual information signs telling you about the place.

The Chés Wepes Festival from mid-June to mid-July in the Hallue valley, with tales and shows in the Picardy dialect, cob festivals and Picardy games.