FrenchDuck’s databank
80 Somme

With the arrival of Spring comes a celebration of Birds and Wildlife in Picardie ( Festival de l’Oiseau et de la Nature) from 12 - 20 April 2008. Forget the stereotyped connotations of Picardy, the Somme and northern France, this is an area of lakes, sanddunes, cliffs and gentle river valleys which is a haven for birds and wildlife - fantastic walking country, glorious seascapes and plenty of paths for hiking and rambling, and an extensive network of cycle paths. Whilst it may lack the best of the weather and has few exciting towns, the countryside is well worth a visit - especially as it is so close to the Channel ports of Calais, Boulogne, Dieppe and Le Havre.
The festival itself will offer guided walks, exhibitions, films and workshops, but the landscape and wildlife are the main attractions.
For more info on the Festival see www.festival-oiseau-nature.com/
For more info on the region generally see www.picardietourisme.fr

For somewhere a little different to stay in Picardie you could try the Belle Dune self-catering Holiday Village.

Belle Dune is one of Pierre & Vacances’ most popular self catering holiday villages in France. Built in the 20th Century style of the Picardy region, the village nestles in a preserved natural area of sand dunes, is surrounded by a large lake and flanked by one of France’s finest golf courses. On-site activities are numerous, the beach is accessible by train plus a mini-market and an English pub.

For more info and special offers see P&V

Book your cross-channel ferry online -

Amiens (80 Somme, Picardie) claims to host the largest Christmas Market in Northern France 24 November - 29 December 2007. In addition to the stalls offering Christmas fayre, gifts, crafts etc, you could take advantage of the skating rink (patinoire).
Its also a chance to visit the impressive Gothic Cathedral of Notre Dame which will be lit up every night.

For more info see www.marchedenoel-amiens.com

Most French autoroutes between major towns and cities are toll motorways, which whilst often offering fast and uncrowded dual-carriageways, can nevertheless add significantly to the cost of a trip through France - e.g over €90 (over £60) on a one-way trip from Calais to Nice (1226km of motorway driving about 760 miles).

However there are significant sections of autoroute which are toll free - most often these are around major towns and Cities (Paris, Bordeaux, Lyon etc).

In the North, the A16 is toll-free from Boulogne (J29) to the Belgian border (J36) via Calais and Dunkerque. The A25 from Dunkerque (J20) to Lille is free, so you can reach Lille from the main Channel ports without paying a toll!. Also all routes from Lille to the Belgian border.
The following autoroutes are toll free (as at September 2007)
A16 (part of the Autoroute des Estuaires (estuaries)) from Boulogne-sur-Mer (J29) to the Belgian border(J36)
A20 (L’Occitane) from Vierzon (J6 junction with A71) to Brive-la-Gaillarde (J53) via Chateauroux, Argenton and Limoges
A25 from Dunkerque (J20 with A16) to Lille
A28 from Abbeville (J1) to Rouen (J14)
A30/A31 (Autoroute de la Vallée de la Fensch) from Thionville (J1) to Toul (J12) via Metz and Nancy
A38 from Dijon (J33) to Pouilly-sur-Auxois (J24 and the junction with the A6)
A63 (Autoroute de la Cote Basque) from Bordeaux to Bellin-Bellet (J20)
A64 (la Pyreneenne) from St Martory (J20) to Muret (J25)
A68 (la Tarnaise) from Monastruc (J3 NE of Toulouse) to Albi (J11) via Gaillac
A75 (la Meridienne) from Clermont-Ferrand (J15) to Pezenas (J59) (except for the Millau Bridge) via Issoire
A77 (Autoroute de l’Arbre (trees)) from Pouilly (J26) to Nevers (J37)
A84 from Caen (J46) to Rennes (J25) via Avranches