The Somme tourist board

The Somme has always had to repulse invasions. As the nation’s first line of defence it suffered much destruction but has nevertheless managed to preserve some architectural jewels.

Lovers of mediaeval history won’t want to miss a visit to Rambures, a fine 15th Century fortress with pepper-pot roofs and white stone battlements atop its brick towers.

The Somme department is dotted with many castles built in brick and stone, a reminder that this is a land of limestone and clay. In the 16th Century, the limestone was mostly used for decoration because of its fragility and the difficulty of extracting it (Ribeaucourt, Pissy). The roles were gradually reversed, and in the chateaux of the 18th Century, with their many openings, it was brick that became ornamental (Courcelles-sous-Moyencourt, Frucourt, Dromesnil), sometimes disappearing completely (Bertangles).