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.