Group activities in Hauts de France

Parc Astérix

A theme park based on the world of Asterix, with rides and shows. Opened in 1989 in Plailly, in the Oise, about thirty kilometres from Paris, Parc Astérix is inspired by the comic books of Uderzo and Goscinny. It is…

Louvre-Lens

An outpost of the Louvre showing masterpieces in a contemporary building. Inaugurated in December 2012, the museum stands on the site of the former No. 9 pit of the Lens mines and has become one of the symbols of the…

Parc du Marquenterre

Bird reserve in the Bay of the Somme, a stopover for a great many birds. Located on the northern edge of the bay, the Parc du Marquenterre lies within the Baie de Somme national nature reserve. It has been open…

Nausicaá

Europe’s largest aquarium, dedicated to the ocean and its biodiversity. Opened in 1991 in Boulogne-sur-Mer, between the beach and the harbour, Nausicaá, the French national sea centre, is a centre for discovering the marine environment. Its “Journey to the High…

Historial de la Grande Guerre

A museum retracing the First World War through three of its belligerents: France, Germany and the United Kingdom. Opened in 1992 in Péronne, at the heart of the Somme battlefields, the Historial is both a museum, with the « Musée…

Amiens Cathedral and Belfry

The largest Gothic cathedral in France, brought to colour by a light show. Begun in the 13th century, Notre-Dame d’Amiens is the largest cathedral in France by interior volume, at around 200,000 m³. It has been a UNESCO World Heritage…

Cité de la dentelle et de la mode

A museum devoted to machine-made lace and fashion, housed in a former factory. Opened in 2009 in Calais, the Cité internationale de la dentelle et de la mode occupies the Boulart factory, a lace mill founded in the 1870s and…

Château de Chantilly

A château housing the Musée Condé, one of the most important collections of old master paintings in France. The present château was rebuilt in the 19th century for Henri d’Orléans, Duke of Aumale, who installed his collections there before bequeathing…

Bagatelle

Family park with rides and shows. Opened in 1955 on the Opal Coast, between Berck and Le Touquet, Bagatelle is the oldest amusement park in France still in operation. It has around thirty attractions. The park was founded by the…

Palais des Beaux-Arts de Lille

One of the largest museums in France, the Palais des Beaux-Arts de Lille is also the largest fine arts museum outside Paris in terms of the number of works on display. Founded in 1792 and opened to the public in…

La Coupole

A former bunker built to launch V2 rockets, La Coupole is now a museum devoted to the Occupation and space exploration. Built by Nazi Germany in 1943 and 1944 in a former chalk quarry near Saint-Omer, the complex never came…

Zoo de Lille

A municipal zoo right in the heart of the city. Opened in 1950 and owned by the City of Lille, the zoo lies in the Vauban-Esquermes district, at the foot of the citadel. It presents more than 350 animals of…

Baie de Somme

Nature outings to discover the seals and landscapes of the bay. On the Picardy coast, the Baie de Somme is in fact a 70 km² estuary, protected for its great ecological richness. It is a major site for birdlife, lined…

Cité Nature

An educational centre dedicated to food and the environment. Opened in 2005 at the northern entrance to Arras, this science museum focuses in particular on the secrets of food, science and nature. Housed in a converted former industrial site, it…

Carrière Wellington

Underground quarries that sheltered soldiers before the Battle of Arras (1917). Worked from the Middle Ages to the 18th century to build the town, these chalk quarries were fitted out by New Zealand tunnellers of the British Army. On 9…