Our Guide to the Region and Departments of Hauts-de-France

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Departments in Hauts-de-France

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Guide to the Hauts de France Region

France’s northernmost region Hauts de France was created when the regions of Nord-Pas-de-Calais and Picardy merged. It consists of the departments of Aisne, Nord, Oise, Pas de Calais and the Somme and is a popular tourist destination for visitors travelling to see the battlefields and memorials associated with the First and Second World Wars.

The region is well connected to the UK with frequent ferries between Dover and Calais and the Channel Tunnel providing Eurostar rail links to London and an alternative route for cars and other vehicles.

Lille, with its bustling commercial centre and lively nightlife, is the largest city in the region. Other notable hubs include Amiens, Dunkirk and Saint-Quentin. The towns of Arras and Lens, which is home to the Louvre-Lens art museum, have a strong Flemish influence in both their architecture and food, as does much of the region thanks to its proximity to Belgium, Paris and the rest of Europe.

Hauts de France is home to two UNESCO World Heritage Sites. One of these is the Belfries of Belgium and France which is a group of 56 historical belfries spanning the border region of the two countries. The other is Amiens Cathedral, an impressive 13th Century gothic building in the heart of the city.

The Opal Coast is characterised by its chalk cliffs and sandy beaches, which line the English Channel coastline. Resorts include the elegant town of Le Touquet and the fishing port of Boulogne-sur-Mer which has a huge aquarium, Nausicaá, where visitors can see thousands of marine species. Hauts de France borders the regions of Île-de-France to the south, Normandy to the west and Grand Est to the southeast.