In 486 A.D. France was born in the Picardy region when King Clovis made Soissons the first capital of the Franks. Later on Hugues Capet was crowned in Noyon in 987 A.D.
The capital of Picardy (Amiens) has been honored by UNESCO for its rich architectural heritage. The region of Picardy is full of Gothic cathedrals and buildings including the Chateau de Chantilly (pictured above).
The region begins 30 km's north of Paris and is replete with lakes, rivers, dunes, cliffs and vast beaches.
Picardy Map
Aéroport du Bourget, BP 173 93352 152 from Pte de la Villette, 350 from Gare du nord, Gare de l'est, Pte de la Chapelle In the Main Gallery: - The exhibit "Le Temps des Ballons" presents an exceptional collection of balloon theme, "objets d'art" and aero station equipment of the 18th and 19th centuries. An old air-traffic controller's console at the French Air and Space Museum In the Concorde's Hall: - The prototype 001 Concorde also the Griffon, France's first aircraft that reached the speed of mach 2 in 1958. Also, an impressive collection of French Military fighters is housed at Bourget Visitor Hours: Open every day except Mondays and the following except Christmas and New Years. Hours: 10am to 5 pm (6pm...
The exterior of the 17th century mansion Aubert-de-Fontenay - Now home to the Musee Picasso. Hôtel Salé, 5, rue de Thorigny , 75003 Paris Saint-Paul, Chemin-Vert, Filles du Calvaire 29, 69, 76, 93 History of the Picasso Museum Although a native of Spain, Picasso's adult life was centered around Paris. After his death in 1973 the French state inherited many of Picasso's works. Wisely, the French government decided to form a museum dedicated to the life and work of Pablo Picasso. Picasso knew no bounds of creativity. Painting, sculpture, sketches, ceramics - Picasso conquered them all. A former 17th century hotel in the trendy Marais district was chosen as the site of the Picasso museum. The hotel's restoration and conversion to a...
During the early 1960's, the French government made the decision that instead of over crowding the city center of Paris they would create a business district outside the city. Tall buildings, colossal modern art, concrete plazas - La Defense was regarded for a long time as a laboratory of contemporary architecture, with mixed results. The La Defense district which extends along the communes from Puteaux, Courbevoie and Nanterre, is Paris's business center and draws about 200,000 each work day. A gigantic commercial center, exhibitions and shows at CNIT and a hemispherical cinema (Dome IMAX) attempt to humanize the area. Think Clockwork Orange without the crime. La Defense is decorated by The Grande Arche. Finished in 1989, the Arch is a modern salute to...
Limousin is a rural region known for its distinctive chestnut red cattle and old oak forests so prized that the house of Remy Martin retains the exclusive right to buy Limousin oak for aging its cognac. In fact, no other vintner in France or the world can buy Limousin oak for such a purpose. It's a pretty region of fields, rivers and farmland, with an aging population, some of whom still speak the ancient dialect of Occitan. Its major city is Limoges, known for china and the decorative arts. Limoges Capital of the Limousin region This capital of the Limousin region, like many French towns in central France, dates back 2 millennia to the Romans, when it was called Augustorotum,...
