Editing Picardy (section)

== Language and culture ==
[[File:Péronne - Porte de Bretagne 3561.jpg|thumb|Distinctive brick building style demonstrated on a monument in the [[Somme (department)|Somme]], Picardy]]

Historically, the region of Picardy has a strong and proud cultural identity. The Picard (local inhabitants and traditionally speakers of the [[Picard language]]) cultural heritage includes some of the most extraordinary Gothic churches (Amiens and Beauvais cathedrals or [[Saint-Quentin basilica]]), distinctive [[Picardy cuisine|local cuisine]] (including ''[[ficelle picarde]]'', ''[[flamiche|flamiche aux poireaux]]'', ''tarte au maroilles''), beer (including from Péronne's de Clercq brewery) and traditional games and sports, such as the ''longue paume'' (ancestor of tennis), as well as ''danses picardes'' and its own bagpipes, called the ''[[pipasso]]''.

The villages of Picardy have a distinct character, with their houses made of red bricks, often accented with a "lace" of white bricks. A minority of people still speak the [[Picard language]], one of the [[languages of France]], which is also spoken in [[Artois]] ([[Nord-Pas de Calais]] ''région''). "[[P'tit Quinquin (song)|P'tit quinquin]]", a Picard song, is a symbol of the local culture (and of that of Artois).

Picardy is arguably the birthplace of Gothic architecture, housing six of the world's greatest examples of Gothic cathedrals, which span the history of Gothic architecture in its entirety. [[Amiens Cathedral]], standing as the largest cathedral in Europe, which according to [[John Ruskin]] is the "Pantheon of Gothic architecture", could house [[Notre-Dame de Paris]] twice over. It was built in as little as 50 years. Picardy also holds the tallest [[transept]] in the history of the Gothic period; this transept is located in [[Beauvais Cathedral|Saint-Pierre cathedral]] in Beauvais, Oise.

The [[Musée de Picardie|Museum of Picardy]] in Amiens, built between 1855 and 1867, houses a vast array of great works, spanning the centuries and ranging from archaeology from ancient Greece and Egypt to modern works of [[Pablo Picasso]]. The museum was closed until the end of 2019 for building work.

Although Picardy is one of the least-known regions in France, its influence from art and most certainly architecture is vivid throughout the world.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.picardietourisme.com/en/mots_clefs_de_picardie/en/gothic_art_in_picardy.aspx |title=Gothic Art in Picardy |publisher=Picardy Tourist Office |location=80011 AMIENS Cedex 1 |access-date=14 April 2014}}</ref>