Informatie omgeving

Picardy

Picardy is a region in the North of France, northeast of  Normandy. The region has three departments: Somme, Oise and Aisne, they are called to their most important rivers. The capital is Amiens. The Picardien coast is a counterfoil of approximately eighty kilometres, with alternating chalk cliffs and sand beaches (called the alabaster coast).

Many people know this region as the ' battle field of Europe '. Wars in the Roman time have devastated much and have their tracks left behind in the surroundings. And therefore you find here lots of history and culture. The beautiful Gothic cathedrals are in these surroundings the head attraction. Especially Amiens (www.amiens.com/tourisme), Beauvais and Laon, but also Soissons and Noyon have boasted cathedrals.

The department was 1 of the 83 departments which became created during French Revolution, 4 March 1790 by implementation of the law of 22 December 1789, judging by a part of province Picardië (Amiénois, Marquenterre, Ponthieu, Santerre and Vimeu).

The village Ault and Onival

Willem the Conqueror collected in 1066 the conqueror 1000 war ships in the port of Ault to conquer United Kingdom.
Four centuries ago there was a terrible storm and devastated the port, the church and its fisherman village, which was submerged afterwards by the sea. The duke of Guise, called the "seigneur d'Ault" wanted to restore the port but the plague brake through and afterwards he was assassinated in 1588 in Blois (three - Hendrik war).
The sea damaged the coast, and that happens until..., partitions calved and this threatened the village in serious matter. Over the years the banks have been reinforced to protect them against the violence of the sea for next centuries.

Ault has a splendid bacon hoist of steep white rocks, strident cry of a gull in wind, the sparkling waves, flaming sun perditions...
Victor Hugo was surprised concerning the old village with its houses of slate toes tiles, near leaning against each other to as birds in the wind, for its beautiful church from 14the and the 15the century with its black- white mosaic, made from chalk and flints from the sea.
 

On the highest point of a steep slope stands one of most beautiful lighthouses of France. 106 meters above the sea you can see the steep banks of Normandy and to the north the sand-banks of the bay of Somme and the dunes of Marquenterre.

Grown to each other, along the port of the Bresle, lies the cities Mers-les-Bains, EU (www.ville-eu.fr) and Le Tréport (www.ville-le-treport.fr). You find here the highest cliffs of France and also beautiful villas in Art Deco style. Le Tréport is a touristic place with a yacht-basin and a lots of restaurants.

In Ault one can enjoy the splendid view on sea, the pebble beach and the white chalk cliffs coast. Low- and high tide gives a different picture. When it’s low tide you can see mussels or  crabs on the rocks and on the sand you can fish plains "sauterelles" (small shrimps).
It is a pleasant bathing resort and the environment has preserved its charm of the years around 1900.

In the village all first life needs are present: baker, butcher, vegetable shop, newspapers - and illustrated magazine shop, mail office, bank, general storekeeper, some café- restaurants (sometimes incl. small terrace) etc. and small supermarket.

To Ault grown Onival lies on the point where the plain of the Hâble d'Ault start, a swampy area where by the pebble winning lakes is to arise where a numerous of birds can be observed. There are walking paths and view points with orientation tables.

Bois-de-Cise is a villa village some kilometres in direction of Mers-les-Bains. It lies in a valley with a forest and is at reach by means of a "route panoramique" those beautiful views raise the bid the coast and the fairy-like houses.

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