No matter how many times I go to France - which
is as often as possible - I always find something new. And on a
recent visit I found it in the valley of the Somme, an area I
knew little about and had frequently driven past on the way
south, to the sun.
My discovery was one of the sublime combined with the
poignant, and sometimes the harrowing, because this is where
hundreds of thousands of lives were lost and the landscape, towns
and villages ravaged in the horrific battles of the First
World War.
Even today, you can see the scars, particularly of the deadly
trench warfare of 1916 when so many young men from Britain,
France, the Commonwealth and, of course, Germany died in bitter
fighting. The effects of warfare can still be seen - in
the trenches, some carefully preserved, the shell holes and most
notably in the huge mine craters such as the one of Lochnagar at La
Boisselle.
It is 300ft in diameter and 90ft deep, created by a
massive explosion after British sappers had dug their
way under no-man's land. The blast was intended to disrupt
German defences, but made little impression. It makes a
striking impression now however, as a memorial.
There are memorials, and cemeteries, all over the
battlefields area. Thousands of the graves bear no names and many
of the memorials name thousands with no known graves. You can
get some grasp of events and their history by
following the poppy-marked Circuit of Remembrance between the
cities of Albert and Peronne. It's a moving
journey.
Perhaps the most impressive memorial is the Franco-British one
at Thiepval, a 45m-high monument designed by the architect Sir
Edwin Lutyens as a tribute to more than 73,000 soldiers with
no known graves. The Thiepval Visitor Centre has an impressive
range of displays and exhibits giving insights to the Battle of the
Somme and what is described as the Great War.
Human remains and the machinery of war are still being
found in the countryside.
Another site well worth a visit is the Newfoundland
Memorial at Beaumont-Hamel, with its trenches and caribou monument.
The Newfoundland forces were decimated in the Somme and they are
remembered here in a striking tribute, which has a visitor centre
staffed by volunteer Canadian students.
Australian, South African, Irish, Indian, Welsh,
French, German and more - all are represented and
remembered at various spots.
Superb museums and cultural centres have been established in
the area, most notably the Historial, Museum of the Great War
- a modern structure almost built in to an
old chateau in Peronne - and the Somme 1916 Museum
set up in a tunnel that became a Second World War air raid shelter
in Albert. Compelling glimpses of a bloody past.
At times you need escape from what appears to have been
futile waste and there are plenty of places to pause for
thought and refreshment. We stopped off for lunch in
Albert at the Basilique restaurant, which is close to the museum
and seemed appropriate.
Away from the battlefields, this is a huge area with so much
to see and do that you could not fit it all in during a
brief visit, but there are short breaks with specific
themes such as golf, bird-watching and a city break in Amiens to
tempt you into frequent trips or longer stays. And not much
temptation will be needed.
You could spend days exploring the Bay of Somme on the
Picardy coast - a huge expanse of sea, marshes, mud flats,
vegetation and sand dunes. The tides fluctuate over
miles, with seals and sheep among the regular residents.
However, for me, the birds are the star attraction.
In the Parc du Marquenterre trails with carefully positioned
hides let you watch the thousands of migratory and native
birds that occupy the bay's nature reserve. Enjoy
close-ups of spoonbills, storks, grebes, egrets and ducks of all
shapes and sizes, among the huge range of species, some extremely
rare.
I could have spent many hours there, but there was more to
see. You can discover this beautiful area on foot, by
bike, on horseback, by boat or on the vintage train of
the Bay of Somme Railway. The water-sports enthusiasts will be
in their element, and the Somme department is a
fishman's paradise.
We spent the night and had dinner at the Cap Hornu Hotel in
Saint-Valery-sur-Somme, but you can take your pick from a
large number of places to stay and, for a bit of pampering, try the
spa at Les Corderies across the bay.
Cities don't usually hold much appeal for me, but having
been driven inland to Amiens, I found more of the sublime, not
least in the magnificent Notre-Dame Cathedral, an immense
Gothic limestone structure that dwarfs the Notre-Dame in
Paris. Inside and out, Amiens' cathedral is breath-taking and,
in the summer, light shows restore the medieval colours to the
statues of apostles, saints and others that adorn the portals
and arches.
The cathedral is open all year round and you can get guided
tours. What you will learn is fascinating.
More delight came in a small boat, called a barque a cornet,
which gently cruised through the Hortillonnages - known as the
floating gardens - more than 300 hectares of small, cultivated
island gardens interspersed by miles of narrow, river-fed waterways
rich in wildlife. Picture an uncaring grebe with chicks on her
back. Tranquility.
There are active pursuits as well,
for Amiens also has a bustling side and a lively
night-life with loads of bars, bistros and fine restaurants. Lots
of places to stay too, from bed and breakfast to
hotels like the Mercure Cathedral, a modern establishment in a
city steeped in history. It's not difficult to see why Jules Verne
chose to settle here, though having married a local girl may have
helped.
Having been on a journey of dramatic
contrasts, I will go back, perhaps to explore different
aspects one at a time. It could take a while.
Factfile
We travelled by P&O Ferries (
www.POferries.com or
phone 08716 646464) from Dover to Calais with a crossing time of
one hour, 30 minutes. Fares start at £30 each way for a
car and up to nine passengers; an upgrade to Club Lounge with free
Champagne, newspapers etc., costs £12 per passenger. The drive time
to Picardy is about one hour, 40 minutes.
LD Lines' crossings from Dover to Boulogne start from
£35 single for a car and two passengers. Crossing time
time is one hour, 45 minutes and drive time to Picardy one hour, 15
minutes.
LD/Transmanche Ferries have two return sailings daily between
Newhaven and Dieppe with a crossing time of four hours. Drive time
to Picardy is one hour, 30 minutes. Fares start from £55 each
way for spring summer offers for a car and two passengers.
Check it out on
www.ldlines.com or phone 0844 576 8836.