A land of hikes
Hiking is an excellent way to discover the diversity of the region. If you walk at the Cap Gris-Nez, around the marshes of the Audomarois, along the beaches of Malo-les-Bains, in the forest of Compiègne or in the Bay of the Somme, the atmosphere will indeed be very different. Some hiking trails are available in this guide, but the best thing to do is to contact the tourist offices of the region, which offer many hiking trails, sometimes guided. It is also worth noting that the Compostela Trail crosses the Hauts-de-France via the GR 655 and that the Via Francigena starts in Calais. The Aisne is also full of hiking trails: more than 300 will make you discover unsuspected sites: springs, hidden abbeys, abandoned villages... You will find all the information on the website www.randonner.fr.
The development of Nordic walking and especially coastal walks in the Bay of the Somme is also noteworthy.
When we think of extreme running or trail running, we think first of all of the mountainous courses or the steep paths of the south of France. But you should know that you will also have something to enjoy in the "Great North" with beautiful nature races or original events. The best known are the Transbaie, nicknamed the Paris-Dakar of running, and the Trail de la Côte d'Opale. Scheduled in May or June of each year, the Transbaie requires early registration, as this race run partly on the sand and mud of the Somme Bay is limited to 6,500 participants. The Trail de la Côte d'Opale, on the other hand, is a must for any self-respecting runner. In September, nearly 7,000 participants walk the Deux Caps reserve between sand, stony and steep paths, and asphalt, with the longest course (62 km!) starting from Cap Blanc-Nez to the town of Ambleteuse. If you like the forest, the Trail des Beaux-Monts is also a must in Compiègne, in mid-September. The name is taken from the famous 5 km trail from which you will have time (or not?) to admire the Imperial Palace in the background. As for the rest, the 15 and 30 kilometers courses offer enough difference in altitude to have fun and exercise.
Finally, if you like crazy events, the Frappadingue is made for you. The town of Montreuil-sur-Mer (Pas-de-Calais) is the birthplace of this race which has since been exported to Lille, Cassel or Boulogne-sur-Mer. The principle is to pass obstacles a little curious, such as the obstacle course or slides. Watch out for the registrations because the places are taken very quickly. If you are not tempted by the adventure, you can always attend this show of crazy runners who launch themselves (disguised) at the assault of improbable obstacles. Another favorite is the 14-18 obstacle course in Thiescourt (Oise) in October, with its 11 km circuit and more than 50 obstacles on a terrain marked by the First World War.
In Oise, the horse is king
The Oise is considered as the kingdom of the horse. It is therefore normal to find a good number of addresses of riding schools. One can enjoy the forests in the south of the department and around Compiègne (which hosts a very famous dressage competition). But the essential city of the horse remains Chantilly. There are the Grandes Écuries, the renovated horse museum, equestrian shows, but also a racecourse built more than 150 years ago and hosting the greatest French horse races (such as the Prix de Diane). It is now even possible to visit the city during horseback riding tours.
The Somme and Pas-de-Calais coastline also offers beautiful horseback rides, some of which are through the dunes and on the beach. In the Somme bay, a particularly robust but elegant breed is bred: the Henson. The departmental committees and the interregional horse council are the best places to find rides all year round, specially designed to cover the most beautiful forest or plain sites.
Beautiful routes for cyclists
From the Opal Coast to the Thiérache, from the Flanders mountains to the mining basin, from the Oise forests to the Audomarois marshes, the variety of landscapes is great and, depending on your mount, you will enjoy riding on small roads or muddy country roads. Don't forget to get the very practical small guides from the departmental councils which will show you the mountain bike circuits and roads to do by department.
The region lends itself particularly well to mountain biking, especially in the woods and forests, which have interesting slopes and landscapes. From Compiègne (Oise), trails of all levels run through the forests, with long paths and more technical terrain. To find your way, it's easy: at each crossroads, a red line indicates the direction of the Palais (which we recommend as a starting point). From Saint-Amand-les-Eaux (North), through the forest, you will reach the steep slopes of the slag heaps (these vestiges of the mining era) which will delight your thighs and guarantee descents that are sometimes quite technical. The Wallers-Aremberg cobbled trench, made famous by the Paris-Roubaix cycling race, is not far away if you still have the legs!
Some cycling routes to try:
The small bucolic roads of the Avesnois region offer beautiful rides. From 12 km to more than 60 km, around the forest of Mormal and/or the Val-Joly, discover the kiosks in Fagne de Solre or the water mills on the two Helpes.
In Flanders, the most beautiful circuits will take you along the Yser river until the doors of the Audomarois, alternating landscapes of plains, woods, hedgerows and marshes. Other itineraries will take you past the old windmills still very present in this area.
For those who have some practice, the Boulonnais, its hills and its hinterland are the place for your next hike.
In the Dunkerque region, you can cycle on the Eurovélo 4 or Vélomaritime, which is often a greenway
In Picardie maritime, 70 km of cycle tracks from the Authie to Mers-les-Bains, this is what the cycling plan has established in order to promote the use of cycles rather than cars. Cyclists can now take advantage of specially dedicated paths and thus discover the coastal landscapes during long recreational or more sportive rides. In addition to this enhancement program, with the redevelopment and widening of roads, hiking trails have been marked.
In the forest of Compiègne, seven cycle tracks cross the massif and its 14,400 ha inhabited by ancient legends. You can thus link two sites not to be missed from Compiègne to Pierrefonds. Two tracks allow you to vary the outward and return journey and to discover two charming villages where you can rest: Saint-Jean-aux-Bois and Vieux-Moulin. An ideal route for family outings. The map of the bicycle paths is available at the tourist office of Compiègne.
Numerous outdoor leisure activities and water sports
With its long beaches, the region is conducive to the practice of kite. No surprise then to find the largest competition in France in the Pas-de-Calais, Berck-sur-Mer (in April). A beautiful event is also organized in the Somme in Cayeux-sur-Mer (in June). Good clubs are also present far from the coast, in Amiens and Soissons for example. Invented on our beaches, longe-côte is also gaining in popularity and consists in walking with water up to the pool, along the beaches, using a paddle if necessary.
Sand yachting is also a widespread activity on the immense beaches of the regional coastline. If the weather is good, you will quickly get a good feeling of speed at ground level. Remember to take waterproof clothing and find out beforehand about availability and tides. If you like sensations, you will also appreciate kitesurfing which will take you above the waves. The practice is well developed and there are schools where you can learn the basics.
Picardy offers many possibilities for canoeing and kayaking. On the website www.picardie-canoe.com, you will find the different routes proposed because this club of enthusiasts changes its itinerary every week! Count about twenty euros for an adult and a little more than ten euros for a child for a two hours trip on the Omignon and the Somme...
Why don't we relax?
It's quite simple, there is only one thermal centre in the Hauts-de-France and it is in Saint-Amand-les-Eaux. The water source is used for drinking, but many people come to this charming town in the North of France for medical treatment. The waters are calcic, magnesian, sodic, chlorinated and sulphurated, which makes them particularly suitable for patients suffering from rheumatism, osteo-articular trauma or respiratory problems. The establishment, with its transparent architecture, is located in the middle of the Hainaut natural park, surrounded by a lush forest. It is part of the Chaîne Thermale du Soleil (www.chainethermale.fr - 03 27 48 25 00). There were famous thermal baths in the Oise, in Pierrefonds, but these thermal baths have not been in service since the Great War.
