Top attractions and things to do in Amiens
Amiens in Picardy is best known for its magnificent cathedral, with its impressive summer and Christmas light show. But this charming city has much more to offer. The hortillonages is a marshy area where the postman still delivers mail by boat and there is a charming old medieval quarter, Saint-Leu, originally of artisans, but today full of cafes and restaurants.
Notre-Dame Cathedral in Amiens and its summer light show
Amiens Cathedral is the largest Gothic cathedral in France, dominating the city with its massive western front. Quickly built between 1220 and 1288 with no hiccups as towers falling or catching fire (which happened quite often), Amiens is an important and striking example of European Gothic architecture. Inside, in contrast, it is quiet and light with further additions as the 16th -Century chorus. The cathedral became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1981.
Tip: If visiting during the summer months, don’t miss the nightly sound and light show when the façade is lit up and there is an explanation about the remarkable statues. It lasts 40 minutes and is a real show.
Cathedrale Notre-Dame
Place Notre Dame
Tel.: 99 33 (0) 3 22 71 60 50
Open from April to September every day from 8.30 am
at 6.30 pm from October to March from 8.30 am to 5.30 pm
Son et Lumière
Every day from mid-June to mid-September and 1 December to the January 1, 2015
Hours: June: 10.45 p.m.
. M. July: 10.30 p. M.
August: 10.00
p. M. September: 9.45 p. M.
The great Gothic cathedrals of France
Take a boat trip through the swampy gardens of the Hortillonnages Market
Since Roman times, the nearby marshlands of the Somme River have provided Amiens with its market gardens. Cultivated along the banks of the extensive network of over 40 miles of canals, ditches and rieux (the local name for canals), the area covers 300 hectares and is one of the city’s charming surprises. Farmers move in games designed for the narrow canals and in June they dress up in traditional costumes and gather in Amiens for a special marché sur l’eau (water market).
You can walk around the area on a long path from Parc Saint-Pierre or the Beauvillé bridge. The canals are lined with old ginguettes (local outdoor cafes for music and dancing) and the bridges take you over the water. Or take a trip through the canals in a boat found at 54 boulevard Beauvillé (tel.: 0033 (03) 22 92 12 18). The visits take place every afternoon from April 1 to October 31 and cost around 6 euros per person.
Eat and drink in the old quarter of St-Leu
Just north of the cathedral, the old Quartier St-Leu is crisscrossed with canals that were once lined with mills that made Amiens a leading textile center. Today it is revitalized with bars and restaurants located along the canals, and shops and art galleries in the small brick houses on the cobbled streets. On Saturday mornings, boats come to Place Parmentier from the nearby marshlands to sell produce, but you have to get there early to get the best of it.
Visit the house where Jules Verne lived
Jules Verne (1828-1905) lived in Amiens for most of his life in an important 4-story house south of the city center. He died here and is buried in the Cimetiere de la Madeleine. The rooms have been extensively restored and are filled with maps, portraits, photographs, furniture, porcelain, and of course editions of his famous books, as well as models of some of the extraordinary machines he invented.
Jules Verne House
2 rue Charles Dubois
Tel.: 00 33 (0) 3 22 45 45 75
Website
Open from mid-April to mid-October from Monday to Wednesday from Friday from 10 am to 12:30 pm and from 2 to 6:30 pm Tuesday 2-6.30pm, Saturday, Sunday 11 am-6.30pm
Adult admission 7 euros
Don’t miss the Musee de Picardie
The Museum of Picardy is in a stunning mid 19th century building designed XVI on the same line as the Louvre in Paris. One of the first buildings outside the French capital designed as a museum, it has a large collection of objects ranging from archaeological objects to drawings, sculptures and contemporary works. The gigantic task of restoring the building continues, but there is much to see, most notably the paintings by Puvis de Chavannes that cover the main staircase and a specially created room by American artist Sol Le Witt.
Musée de Picardie
48 rue de la République
Tel.: 00 33 (0) 3 22 97 14 00
Open Tuesday, Friday, Saturday 10 am-12.30pm and 2-6pm; Wed 10 am-6pm; Thursdays 10 am-12.30pm and 2-9pm; Sun 1-7pm
Adult input 5 euros
Great festivals and events
Amiens has a good calendar of events throughout the year. See the best on the Tourist Office website.
Big events
- April: huge flea market all over Amiens
- May to October: Jardins en Scène. Circus, dance, music and theater performances in the open air in the gardens and parks of Picardy.
- June to October: environmental walks in the hortillonnages plus performances
- Weekend of September – European Heritage Days, when many public and private buildings are open to the public
- 1st Sunday in October: The famous autumn flea market, which rivals Lille with more than 80,000 visitors. It is the first Sunday in October and starts at 5am.
- October: White night with musical events and contemporary art galleries open all night.
- November to December: the largest Christmas market in the north of France takes the streets of Amiens.
The best Christmas markets in northern France
And all the other great Christmas markets throughout France
Practical information for Amiens and its main attractions
- Information from the Tourist Board
The Amiens Tourist Board can book hotels, recommend restaurants and has all the information you need on shopping, markets and sightseeing.
Amiens Tourist Office
40 Place Notre-Dame
Tel.: 00 33 (0) 3 22 71 60 50
Website
Where to stay
Amiens has a good selection of hotels; Here are 2 of my recommendations.
Le Prieuré
17 rue Porion
Tel.: 00 33 (0) 3 22 91 74 99
Website
The old Priory is close to the cathedral on a cobbled street and offers rooms with a different style. It’s quirky and pretty and a good value.
Read guest reviews, compare prices and book The Priory on TripAdvisor.
Fad
3 rue Marotte
Phone: 00 33 (0) 3 60 12 50 00
Web sitio
The last hotel is 5 stars, but it has only 12 beautiful individually decorated rooms, distributed in the old house and the new ecologically efficient cube.
Read guest reviews, compare prices and book the Marotte on TripAdvisor.
- Or for a good budget option (from 60 euros per room per night), try the Ibis hotel near the cathedral. Read guest reviews, check prices and book the Ibis Hotel Center on TripAdvisor.
More information on budget chain hotels in France.
