Camping in Hauts-de-France means enjoying the fresh air of the Picardy seaside, the rich and varied landscapes of the hinterland, and numerous leisure activities for all the family. You'll discover beautiful towns of art and history, UNESCO World Heritage monuments and seaside resorts that are perfect for water sports. Follow the guide!
Hiking in Hauts-de-France
The Nord-Pas-de-Calais and Picardy regions, now known as the Hauts-de-France, is a prime destination for all kinds of outdoor activities. Lovers of green tourism, particularly hikers, will find plenty to do here during their Hauts-de-France camping holidays.
- The Scarpe-Escaut Regional Nature Park: 600 km of waymarked trails criss-cross the countryside, forests and mining heritage between Douai, Lille and Valenciennes.
- The Capes et Marais d'Opale Regional Nature Park: 170 km long, the GR®120 (coastal path) links the Belgian coast to the Bay of Authie. You can enjoy the Grand site des Deux Caps between Calais and Boulogne-sur-Mer
- The Avesnois Regional Nature Park: more than 1,000 km of hiking trails and 360 signposted circuits, including the GR®655 (trail to Santiago de Compostela).
Activities to do in the Hauts de France: our must-sees
- Explore the slag heaps of the northern coalfields, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and visit converted former mining sites.
- Walk through the forest of Crécy, Chantilly and Compiègne. Nearly 430,000 hectares of forest are waiting to be discovered in Hauts-de-France.
- Take a rowboat or canoe-kayak trip in the Saint-Omer marshes: you can criss-cross almost 170 kilometres of navigable waterways.
Camping by the sea: from the Baie de Somme to the Côte d'Opale
From the immensity of the Baie de Somme to the family-friendly beaches of the Côte d'Opale, via the charming seaside resorts of the Picardy coast, your getaways in the Hauts-de-France clearly promise to be invigorating and iodised!
From the Baie d'Authie to the cliffs of Mers-les-Bains, you'll love strolling along the coastline past dunes and Belle Époque villas. You'll also love crossing the bay from Le Crotoy to Saint-Valery-sur-Somme, watching the seals at the Pointe du Hourdel, a small hamlet in Cayeux-sur-Mer.
Caps Gris-Nez and Blanc-Nez are not to be missed. The cliffs of the Hâble d'Ault, reaching 70 metres, are also worth discovering. The Canche Estuary, near Le Touquet-Paris-Plage, offers a wealth of opportunities for leisure activities and discovering the flora and fauna. So many reasons to book your Hauts-de-France campsite holidays!
Lille and Arras
During your camping holiday in Picardie Hauts de France, you absolutely must spend a day in Lille - European Capital of Culture - to discover the Palais des Beaux Arts, the Vieille Bourse, the town hall and its belfry. And don't forget the big braderie, held every year in early September.
Equally fascinating, Arras also boasts many architectural treasures such as its Vauban citadel, its belfry and its Boves developed in the city's basements.
Other not-to-be-missed sights include Amiens and Soissons cathedrals, the ramparts of Laon, Chantilly and Pierrefonds castles and the fortified churches of Thiérache.
Sites to visit and museums
- The National Sea Centre Nausicaa in Boulogne-sur-Mer,
- The Louvre-Lens museum,
- La Cité internationale de la Dentelle et de la mode de Calais,
- La Coupole et le planétarium d'Helfaut,
- The Historial de la Grande Guerre in Péronne
We're still forgetting, but we'd rather leave you the surprise of discovering for yourself all the other emblematic places in our beautiful region during your next camping holiday. To find out more, visit: www.tourisme-en-hautsdefrance.com
