Let the protected green areas of Hauts-de-France restore you and put you back in touch with your body and its natural rhythms – as well as help you to renew your connection with your partner. Large swathes of this region remain free of urbanisation, and many of them are protected natural reserves too – making this the perfect destination for couples who need to get away from it all and carve out some quality time for themselves. Such spaces include the Baie de Somme – one of the world’s loveliest bays, whose seemingly endless horizons and wealth of wildlife (including a colony of harbour seals) are best discovered via a guided nature walk with a local expert. Soak in breathtaking views (and fresh air galore) from the Deux-Caps, Boulogne-sur-Mer’s ramparts, the cliffs of Mers-les-Bains and Bois de Cise, and Vaux-sur-Somme’s viewing platform. In many places you can glean insider glimpses of local life courtesy of English-speaking ‘greeters’ such as Frédéric Legris, who will take you to see the house of his market-gardener grandparents in the UNESCO biosphere reserve of the Marais Audomarois.