Picardy is located in the northern part of France and borders Belgium to the north and Normandy to the west. It has a very diverse geography ranging from low-lying plains to rolling hills, mountains, forests and rivers. The geography of Picardy includes two major regions: the Paris Basin and the Thiérache region. Let’s take a closer look.
Know the geography of Picardy through its history
History explains why the boundaries of ancient Picardy do not correspond to the current departments. Indeed, at the time of their formation, Picardy was made up of the whole of the Somme department, part of the Oise and Aisne, as well as a coastal part of the Pas-de-Calais. The majority of the Oise belonged to the French crown and included areas such as the French Vexin to the southwest, Valois to the southeast, and the county of Clermont to the center.
Further north-east was the bishopric of Noyon. In addition, the Aisne-Soissonnais region also belonged to the crown. During the war against the Gauls, these lands were populated by Belgians from Beauvais and Soissons. This is how the boundaries of what is now the geography of Picardy were determined.
The geography of present-day Picardy
Picardy is a region located in Hauts-de-France, with a total area of 19,399 km2. Geographically, it is divided into three zones:
- 7,369 km2 in the Aisne department,
- 5,860 km2 in the Oise department,
- 6,170 km2 in the Somme department.
The geography of the Picardy region is 85% rural and agricultural land, but on part of its coastline is an area of remarkable environmental beauty due to its rich ecosystems and picturesque landscapes. This has allowed it to become a tourist destination with additional growth potential. The focus is on both business tourism, thanks to the proximity of the Lille metropolis, and leisure and nature tourism.
The most beautiful landscapes that dominate the Picardy region
Geographically speaking, Picardy creates a link between the land and the sea, forming a unique estuarine environment. This makes it an ideal refuge for fauna and flora. Thousands of birds are attracted to this region, such as the Marquenterre ornithological park in Picardy. These areas can be subdivided into low fields, fences and chalk cliffs that border them inland from the sea.
To the south, pebble areas make up its coastline interspersed with beautiful Ault hâble sites. Further north, large expanses of sand dunes help to create a varied landscape throughout Picardy. The 3 departments found in these areas revolve around three large rivers (hence their names) and numerous tributaries that form rich lands composed of alkaline peat bogs and gravelly marshes that crisscross the hillside regions, which add extra beauty and strength to the geography of Picardy.