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Amiens, France

Amiens, France.

Amiens is a city and commune in northern France, 120 km (75 mi) north of Paris and 100 km (62 mi) south-west of Lille. It is the capital of the Somme department in Hauts-de-France.

Amiens has a typical oceanic climate in the north of France, with relatively mild winters, cool summers, and rainfall well distributed throughout the year.

Get in

140 km (87 mi) north of Paris. On the intersection of the A16 Abbeville - Beauvais and the A29 Rouen - Saint-Quentin (Aisne) and Reims. Providing direct access from the port of Le Havre and Calais, and an indirect but closer route from Dieppe.

• Gare d'Amiens. Trains from Paris at least hourly, normally about €18 each way. Journey time one hour ten minutes for fast Corail trains, slightly longer for stopping TER services.

Get around

There are many signs (direction, tourism, car parks). However, the city center is pedestrianized, it is advised to park a little farther, or in the numerous underground parkings of the city center.

Amiens has a decent bus system (€1.20 for a ticket which is valid one hour) and a community bicycle system but bicycles are not in useful areas.

What to See in Amiens

• Amiens's cathedral (Basilique Cathédrale Notre-Dame d'Amiens). one of the major works of the French Gothic style, with a fine façade and interesting sculptures. The cathedral is also a UNESCO World Heritage site. An impressive piece of architecture being the tallest and the greatest interior volume cathedral in France.

Amiens's cathedral.

• The Hortillonages (Hortillonnages d'Amiens), 54 Boulevard de Beauville, +33 3 22 92 12 18. market gardens and allotments separated by small canals connected by private bridges, are visitable by boat from available at Maison des Hortillonnages.

The Hortillonages.

• The Belfry Place au Fil, the old central square of the city before the arrival of the railway and the rise of the Rue des Trois Calloux. Is adjacent to Les Halles and the back of the city hall. At a height of 52 metres (171 ft), it rings every hour of the day.

The belfry.

• Tour Perret Opposite the Gare d'Amiens. Over 100 metres (330 ft) high, it was one of the first skyscrapers built in Europe, and the highest for a long time.

• The Church of Saint-Leu was built at the end of the 15th century, on the model of the hall-churches. It is dedicated, as its district, to Saint Leu, referring to the 7th century bishop who was exiled to the Vimeu.

The Church of Saint-Leu.

• The Church of Saint-Germain.

• The House of the Bailiwick or Malmaison.

• The Logis du Roy (Faculty of Arts until 2003).

The Logis du Roy.

• The water tower and fountains of Amiens.

• The City Hall.

• The Louis Aragon Library, Rue de la République, built by François-Auguste Cheussey in 1823.

• The Musée de Picardie 48, rue de la République.

The Musée de Picardie.

What to Do in Amiens

• Jules Verne Museum. The small but cosy Jules Verne Museum is well worth a visit for those who are interested in literature.

Jules Verne Museum.

• Amiens Circus. The Circus building is quite unique in France and Europe, even from the outside. If you can, try to get a seat for one of the events taking place there.

• Amiens Metropolitan Zoo.

Buy

There are a couple of tourist gift shops on the south side of the Place Notre Dame. The main shopping area is around Rue des Trois Cailloux.

• Macarons d'Amiens, small, round-shaped biscuit-type macaroons made from almond paste, fruit and honey.

Eat

Quai Belu on the north bank of the Somme has a good selection of restaurants, and some pleasant street seating. Quality food as catering for the locals but there is enough tourist trade that most have English menus available.

• Big Ben, 12 Rue Cormont, +33 3 22 52 98 49.

• l'usine, 11 Quai Belu, +33 3 22 45 08 92.

Drink

The area between the cathedral and the river Somme around Rue des Bondés is a popular area for drinking with indoor and outside seating. There are also a few possibilities around the Place Gambetta and near the rail station.

• Baobar, 2 Rue des Bondés, +33 3 22 72 94 20.

• Tower's Pub, 5 Place Alphonse Fiquet, +33 3 22 91 84 48.

Sleep

• Holiday Inn Express Amiens, 10 Boulevard d'Alsace Lorraine, +33 3 22 22 38 50. Small but well furnished rooms. Can get hot in summer as no air-conditioning. Reasonable free breakfast.

• Hôtel Marotte, 3 Rue Marotte, +33 3 60 12 50 00.

• Grand Hotel De L'Univers (Best Western), 2 Rue de Noyon, +33 3 22 91 52 51.

Go next

• Albert and the Thiepval Memorial to the missing of the Somme.

• Saint-Quentin (Aisne)

• Abbeville

• Rouen

• Beauvais (Wikivoyage, Wikipedia)