Somme (Battlefield)

The Somme and its rolling swathes of green fields is now a symbol of the sheer destruction that was wrought by WWI on Europe and its people. The site of some of the bloodiest battles fought in the whole of the Great War, it was carved by trenches and battered by artillery shells for the whole summer of 1916. These days, memorials, remembrance trails, and a smattering of older medieval and culinary attractions make it an interesting – if sobering – addition to any French itinerary.

Somme tour guides can help you plan a trip on the Circuit of Remembrance. Aptly named, it encompasses the old chateau of Péronne, where German forces once made their wartime headquarters, the striking monuments of the fallen in Thiepval, the commemorative park at the Newfoundland Memorial, and the immersive recreations of life in the trenches that makes the Musée Somme 1916 in Albert such a must.

Of course, this region has plenty to balance out the military history and remembrance. You can delve into the canal-cut town of Amiens, where a UNESCO-tagged cathedral stands gilded with haunting Gothic sculpture works. Or, make a beeline for Chantilly, where you will encounter the grand Château de Chantilly and get to indulge in some of France's most famous whipped-cream pastries.