Tailor-made tours in North of France

The North of France – a region marked by war AND resilience

The North of France saw numerous, bloody battles during both World Wars. To this day, the region bears witness to the furies of war AND to the resilience of its people…

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Highlights of your visit to the North of France

To go back in time, to honor the fallen, to learn more about those world-shaping moments that took place over 100 years ago, there is no better place to start than the North of France.

The North is also known for the resilience and warmth of its welcoming inhabitants – as well as for a hearty culinary heritage that endures to this day.

With Finding France, you’ll travel in a small, intimate group to best get a feel for the region. Tailor-made activities and visits are sure to make your 1 to 8 day stay a unique and memorable experience.

Let’s design your private, authentic tour to the North of France today!

Our recommended 3-day itinerary in the North of France

DAY 1: Cathedral of Amiens and Vimy Memorial

• Stroll through the farmer’s market in Amiens and meet local producers (cheesemakers, vegetable growers, livestock breeders…).

• Amiens boasts the largest cathedral in France – twice as large as the famed Notre Dame in Paris! Learn the secrets of this majestic cathedral with your local guide.

• In Vimy, honor the Canadian soldiers who fell in battle in France during World War I. Join a guided tour of the memorial and descend into the trenches.

• Meet a local dairy farmer and visit both the farm and cheese processing facilities. He’ll explain how milk is turned into creamy cheese and butter.

Available options:

• Ride a small skiff in the “hortillonnages” in Amiens. These are a patchwork of bayous where owners have been tending fully organic vegetable patches since the Middle Ages.

• Learn to craft your very own chocolates with Luc, chef in a chocolate shop in Amiens. Taste traditional Amiens macarons, made popular by Catherine de Médicis in the 16th century.

• Tour a small snail farm and learn everything you ever wanted to know about snails!

DAY 2 : Ypres – Passchendaelle WWI Battlefields/ Lille

• Discover historical downtown Ypres, in Belgium, with its cathedral, historical Cloth Halls, and it’s 14th-century belfry tower.

• Honor the deceased heroes of World War I battlefields, many of them Canadian, at the Essex farm cemetery, St Julian Memorial, and Tyne Cot cemetery.

• Experience the life of Canadian WWI soldiers in the Passchendaele museum. Discover the trenches, and connect to your past (possibility of doing genealogical research).

• Meet a brewer and tour his charming brewery. Taste his latest creations.

Available options :

• Bicycle outing along the battlefront lines.

• Attend a ceremony to honor war heroes in Ypres.

• Visit a cheese-maturing cellar, where the famous “Mimolette” cheese is aged.

DAY 3: Pierrefonds Castle – WWI Memorial - Compiègne

• Discover the local farmer’s market in Pierrefonds and chat with local vegetable growers, cheesemakers, butchers, and fishmongers.

• Visit the medieval-style Pierrefonds castle renovated by Eugène Viollet-le-Duc, the architect who saved Notre Dame in Paris from oblivion.

• Walk upon the clearing in Rethondes, where, on November 11th, 1918, the armistice was signed, officially ending World War I.

• Visit the Château of Compiègne, a palace renovated during the 18th century. Marie-Antoinette and Louis XVI were regular guests at the Château.

Available options :

• With the local produce from the market, enjoy a cooking class with Alix, a chef who will then welcome you to her Compiègne forest home for lunch.

• Taste fresh goat cheese with a local producer at his goat farm.

• Meet a mushroom grower and visit the stone quarry where the mushrooms mature.

Let’s design your private, authentic tour to the North of France today!

Create your tailor-made trip to France

Finding France is an immersive experience where you will uncover the real France… the people, the architecture, the passion for making and sharing food, and of course its rich and fascinating history. Our exclusive day tours are tailored to your interests, needs, and rhythm.

Discover our other popular itineraries and get ready for an unforgettable trip!