Hauts-de-France is northern France's dynamic region, forged from the historic provinces of Nord-Pas-de-Calais and Picardy. It is a land of soaring Gothic cathedrals, poignant WWI memorials, vibrant Flemish culture, and a rugged coastline along the Côte d'Opale. Lille, the cosmopolitan capital, anchors a region of surprising contrasts — from the underground citadels of Arras to the vast sandy beaches of Dunkirk and Boulogne-sur-Mer.
Historical timeline
Key moments that shaped Hauts-de-France.
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1
Battle of Agincourt — English defeat French at modern-day Azincourt (62310)
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2
Louis XIV captures Lille; Vauban begins citadel construction
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3
Treaty of Amiens signed — short-lived peace between Britain and Napoleonic France
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4
Germany invades Belgium; northern France becomes the Western Front
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5
Battle of the Somme (July–November) — bloodiest single day of WWI on 1 July
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6
Battle of Vimy Ridge — Canadian Corps captures the ridge (9–12 April)
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7
Dunkirk Evacuation (Operation Dynamo) — 338,000 Allied troops evacuated, May–June
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8
Louvre-Lens opens — bringing the Louvre's collections to a former mining area
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9
Hauts-de-France region created, merging Nord-Pas-de-Calais and Picardy
Historical sites
Places where Hauts-de-France's past comes alive.
Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme
Where: Thiepval, Somme
Admission: Free
Vimy Ridge Canadian National Memorial
Where: Vimy, Pas-de-Calais
Admission: Free
Amiens Cathedral (Cathédrale Notre-Dame) — Historical Site
Where: Amiens
Admission: Free
Arras Belfry and Town Hall (UNESCO)
Where: Arras
Admission: €3.50 / ~$4
Historial de la Grande Guerre (WWI Museum)
Where: Péronne, Somme
Admission: €9 / ~$10
Musée de Flandre (Cassel)
Where: Cassel
Admission: €6 / ~$7
Laon Cathedral (Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Laon)
Where: Laon, Aisne
Admission: Free
Musée de la Mémoire de Fromelles
Where: Fromelles, Nord
Admission: €5 / ~$5.40