In Hauts-de-France (Upper France), northern France

 "Why did the commanders not do something about it? Why did they let the attack go on? why did they not stop one battalion following in the wake of another to join it in death?” ― John Keegan, The Face of Battle

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(in northern France) Hauts-de-France (Upper France), with its dramatic land and sea views, deeply rooted culture, and culinary traditions competes with the best that France has to offer. This area comprises the former regions of Nord-Pas-de-Calais and Picardie, taking in the home territories of the Ch'tis (residents of France's northern tip) and the Picards. Its capital, Lille (shown here), is blessed with magnificent architecture, outstanding museums, creative enterprises, and an energetic student vibe. Arras, Amiens and Laon captivate with Gothic treasures, and Compiègne preserves the dazzle of Napoléon III's Second Empire. Beyond the cities, WWI memorials and cemeteries marking the 1914 to 1918 front lines have a breathtaking beauty. Outdoors enthusiasts will love the wildlife-filled estuaries of the Baie de Somme, and the Côte d'Opale's activity-packed resorts and beaches.

+ The Somme River, in northern France, rises in the hills at Fonsommes, near the city of Saint-Quentin, and flows generally westward for 152 miles (~243 km) to the English Channel, crossing the ancient province of Picardy. The Somme River and its valley constitute an important barrier in the approaches from Flanders in Belgium toward Paris, France, and were of great strategic importance during World War I. The river’s upper basin was the scene of heavy fighting, particularly the First Battle of the Somme (July–November 1916). The valley was occupied by the Germans in May–June 1940 in World War II and was recovered by the Allies in August 1944.

+ The Second Battle of the Somme, also called Battle of Saint-Quentin, (March 21–April 5, 1918), was a German offensive against Allied forces on the Western Front during the latter part of World War I. The German commander, General Erich Ludendorff, believed that it was essential for Germany to use the troops freed from the Eastern Front by the collapse of Russia to achieve a victory on the Western Front in the spring of 1918, before American troops arrived in sufficient numbers to effectively reinforce the war-weary Allies. His first offensive was directed against the rather weak British armies north of the Somme River, between Arras and La Fère. The British trenches were shelled and gassed before a massive morning attack in dense fog, which took the British by surprise. by 22 March, the shattered British 5th Army was in retreat and had lost contact with the French to the south. The Germans moved rapidly forward, hoping to drive a permanent wedge between the French and the British, but by 28 March, the Allies had assembled new troops that checked the German advance east of Amiens. (The German tactical virtuosity, unconnected to any broader strategic concept, only exhausted Germany’s limited resources.)