Few regions of Europe have been at the forefront of history as long as the French lowlands. Prosperity and conflict have left their mark in equal measures here, bequeathing us a land of dramatic contrast. The soaring cathedrals of the royalist cities of Amiens and St. Quentin and the ancient streets of the merchant cities of Ghent and Bruges tell a story of progress and hope. A walk through the sea of crosses and cratered landscapes of the First World War battlefields speaks of a tragedy on a scale that we can hardly imagine. The full breadth of European history is accessible here. Take a look at the map below to discover more.
