Yes — Amiens and Compiègne are both roughly an hour from Paris by direct train, which makes short visits or day trips straightforward.
Discover Authentic Picardy: A Local Travel Guide by Mercure
At Mercure, we believe you shouldn't need a guidebook to feel like you belong somewhere. That's the idea behind Discover Local: since 1973, every Mercure hotel has been built around its neighbourhood, not just dropped into it — from the décor on the walls to the flavours on the menu. Step into any Mercure and our teams are on hand with the kind of tips you won't find in a guidebook: the market stall locals queue for, the bar where nobody speaks English, the walk that skips the crowds. They live here. They know. Discover Local isn't a generic city guide — it's a short, honest list of the restaurants, markets and neighbourhoods our own hotel teams actually recommend to guests, updated as the city changes around us. Below, you'll find our picks for Picardy, an interactive map to help you find your way, and answers to the questions travellers ask us most. So — where will Discover Local take you?
Our map pins local favourites such as the rooftops of Amiens Cathedral, the Great Stables of Chantilly and the Baie d'Authie.
Top 5 Things to Do in Picardy
Amiens
Home to the largest Gothic cathedral in France by volume, its facade covered in carved stonework worth studying up close. Just as memorable: the Hortillonnages, floating market gardens threaded with canals, best seen from a flat-bottomed boat.
Compiègne
A royal forest and château where French kings once hunted, and the site of the 1918 Armistice — the clearing where it was signed is preserved and open to visit. The forest itself is vast, good for a long, quiet walk.
Chantilly
The château and its horse-racing tradition go hand in hand — this has been a centre of French racing for generations. The whipped cream that shares its name genuinely traces back here, so try it where it started.
Beauvais
The Cathédrale Saint-Pierre was never finished, but its choir still reaches higher than any other Gothic cathedral's — an ambition that outran the engineering of the time. The adjoining Episcopal Palace rounds out an easy half-day visit.
Laon
A cathedral town perched on a ridge above the plain, ringed by its old ramparts. The Gothic cathedral's towers are visible for miles before you arrive — climb up for the view back down.
Explore Picardy's Best Local Spots with Our Interactive Map
What's on the map in Picardy
We've mapped local spots across Picardy.
Heritage
Rooftops of Amiens Cathedral
Begun in 1220, Notre-Dame d'Amiens is the largest cathedral in France. Climb up to its rooftops for views over the city and the medieval spire. A 5-minute walk from our Mercure Amiens Cathédrale.
Amiens · Cathedral · Perfect for views
Maladrerie Saint-Lazare
Built in the 12th century to care for lepers, this restored hospital in Beauvais now hosts concerts and shows. 10 minutes' drive from our Mercure Beauvais Centre Cathédrale.
Beauvais · Historic site · Great for culture
Villa Le Souvenir, Le Crotoy
Built for perfumer Pierre Guerlain, who helped turn Le Crotoy into a seaside resort, this red-façaded villa – now Hôtel Les Tourelles – stands out from afar. 30 minutes from our Mercure Abbeville Centre.
Le Crotoy · Landmark · Ideal for seaside strolls
Chalet du Gué de Blanquetaque
A curious early-20th-century hunting lodge, standing alone in the Baie de Somme marshes.
Baie de Somme · Landmark · Made for photography
Grande Réderie d'Amiens
One of northern France's biggest flea markets: 2,000 stallholders in April and October.
Amiens · Flea market · Perfect for bargain hunters
Chantilly & nature
Chantilly racecourse stables
Around 3,000 horses train in Chantilly every day. Specialist guides lead you behind the racecourse into the historic stables. 10 minutes from our Mercure Chantilly.
Chantilly · Equestrian heritage · Made for horse lovers
Atelier de la Chantilly
Founded by the brotherhood of Chantilly cream whippers, an interactive space telling the story of the famous cream – with homemade pastries to taste. Under 10 minutes from our Mercure Chantilly.
Chantilly · Visitor experience · Perfect for foodies
Baie d'Authie
Quieter than the Baie de Somme: 2,100 protected hectares, loved by walkers – and home to seals at certain times of year. 30 minutes from our Mercure Le Touquet.
Baie d'Authie · Nature site · Ideal for walks and seals
Château de Chantilly
A château-museum with one of France's finest collections of old master paintings, set in a vast estate with the Great Stables and the Horse Museum.
Chantilly · Château · Great for art and horses
Le Potager des Princes
A 'Remarkable Garden' on terraces laid out by Le Nôtre, with farm animals and a bamboo maze for children.
Chantilly · Garden · Perfect for families
Royal Abbey of Royaumont
A 13th-century Gothic abbey near Chantilly, with peaceful gardens, a cloister and a cultural programme.
Asnières-sur-Oise · Abbey · Ideal for a peaceful visit
Golf de la Forêt de Chantilly
A 76-hectare course in the heart of Chantilly forest, 40 minutes from Paris.
Chantilly · Golf · Made for golfers
L'Oise en Meule
Explore the Automne valley on a classic Peugeot 103 moped with local guide Luc Daussy. Wind in your hair.
Automne valley · Moped tour · Perfect for something different
Compiègne
Château de Compiègne
France's largest neoclassical palace, shaped by two kings and two emperors, home to the National Car Museum.
Compiègne · Palace · Great for history
Château de Compiègne park
A park commissioned under Napoleon I, with a rose garden and the 5 km Allée des Beaux-Monts.
Compiègne · Park · Perfect for a stroll
Théâtre Impérial
Napoleon III's Italian-style theatre, begun in 1867 and only finished in 1991, loved for its acoustics.
Compiègne · Theatre · Ideal for a show
Hippodrome de Compiègne
An elegant racecourse on the edge of the forest, with flat and steeplechase racing in spring and autumn.
Compiègne · Racecourse · Made for a day at the races
Internment and Deportation Memorial
A museum on the site of a former WWII internment camp, in its original buildings.
Compiègne · Memorial · Ideal for history
Armistice Glade and Wagon
A replica of the railway carriage where the armistices of 1918 and 1940 were signed, on the very spot.
Compiègne forest · Museum · Great for history
Cloître Saint-Corneille
A restored cloister of the former imperial abbey, displaying medieval and Renaissance sculpture.
Compiègne · Museum · Perfect for art
FAQ
Amiens, for sheer scale — it's the largest Gothic cathedral in France by volume. Beauvais is worth it too if you're curious about its unfinished, oversized choir.
The name traces back to the château, where the whipped cream is said to have first been served to guests — making it one of the few food names in France that genuinely matches its place of origin.
Yes. Tours of the rooftops offer views over Amiens and the medieval spire, a 5-minute walk from Hotel Mercure Amiens Cathédrale.
At the Atelier de la Chantilly in the town centre, with an interactive tour and pastries to taste.
In the Baie d'Authie, a protected bay where seals gather at certain times of year.
Where to Sleep in Picardy
See our Mercure hotels across Picardy, ideally placed to explore these picks.