Beaucamps-le-Vieux brings together a specifically named cycling route and a local history shaped by chairmaking and former industrial businesses. This offers different ways to approach a stay: you can explore the village as part of a cycling tour through the valleys of the Bresle and Liger, or learn about its craft and industrial developments. When looking for a holiday rental for a trip to the area, it helps to decide first: should cycling be the main focus, or are you particularly interested in the local heritage? Both are part of the village’s character, but they lead to different planning considerations.
Cycling route through Beaucamps-le-Vieux
The Chés Pailleuses cycling route (Loop A) passes through Beaucamps-le-Vieux. It is 37 km long and starts at Place du Pré in Hornoy-le-Bourg. The starting point and the village it passes through are therefore not the same: the route passes through Beaucamps, while its designated starting point is in Hornoy-le-Bourg. It continues through the valleys of the Bresle and Liger, where meadows, forests and orchards alternate. This connects Beaucamps with a route that also takes in the landscapes of both valleys. Check the latest route details when planning a ride.
Chairmaking and furniture tradition
The wood used connects local chairmaking with the area’s terroir. An account updated in 2013 describes chairmaking and rye-straw seats as still present; Thibaude production, by contrast, had disappeared. Processing rye straw into seats was introduced at the beginning of the 19th century. The Fête de la chaise et du meuble in Beaucamps-le-Vieux showcases the skills of local manufacturers and is held annually. Check the latest dates before your trip if you would like to include the festival. An account from September 2001 names twenty manufacturers who exhibited at the Fête de la chaise et du meuble picard. The history of materials and the manufacturers’ skills thus stand alongside one another as distinct aspects of the local chairmaking tradition.
The former Gaudefroy factory
The former Gaudefroy site in Beaucamps-le-Vieux was home to the Thibaude weaving mill and later saw further industrial uses. The factory was mentioned in 1871 as a felt factory and specialized in cowhair Thibaudes under the name Gaudefroy Frères. Around 1967, it was taken over by Sopibat; Sepa and Fogepe followed, specializing in automotive mechanics. These changing areas of focus distinguish the factory’s history from the chairmaking tradition, which is connected with materials such as wood and rye straw. The former industrial site and local craft can therefore be considered as two distinct themes in the village’s history.
A church event from 2019
For Palm Sunday 2019, a church program in Beaucamps-le-Vieux included a procession from the Chapelle de l’Abbé Lyonneau. This event adds a religious aspect to the village’s craft and industrial history. Unlike the annual festival, it was tied to Palm Sunday 2019.
Discover more destinations: Aumâtre, Vismes, Vron, Péronne, Poulainville, Doingt, Épaumesnil, Fossemanant.
For the wider travel overview: Somme.
