Located in northern France, this medieval city has Europe's largest Gothic cathedral and a network of floating gardens dating to Roman times.
Amiens, 120 kilometers north of Paris, has a Gothic cathedral where you can watch stone carvings illuminate in summer light shows, walk through 300 hectares of water gardens where farmers grow vegetables, and dine in timber-framed restaurants along the canals of the Saint-Leu quarter.
Exploring Notre-Dame Cathedral
The 13th-century Notre-Dame Cathedral reaches 42 meters high, making it the tallest complete cathedral in France. Look up at the western façade to see three elaborate portals with more than 3,000 statues, then step inside to explore 7,700 square meters of interior space. Each summer evening, projections light up the façade, recreating the cathedral's medieval colors based on paint traces discovered during 1990s restoration work. Inside, you'll find several religious relics, including what many consider to be the head of John the Baptist, brought to Amiens from Constantinople after the Fourth Crusade.
Navigating Les Hortillonnages
Les Hortillonnages consists of small islands connected by narrow waterways. Market gardeners, called hortillons, have grown vegetables here since medieval times, using flat-bottomed boats to move between plots. Take an electric boat tour from April to October, departing from 54 Boulevard de Beauvillé. In summer, you can see art installations spread across the islands as part of the International Garden Festival.
Saint-Leu Quarter's Food Scene
Walk through Saint-Leu quarter's network of canals lined with timber-framed houses to find many of Amiens' best restaurants. Try the Ficelle Picarde, a savory crĂŞpe filled with ham, mushrooms, and cream sauce. The Amiens macaron differs from its Parisian counterpart - you'll taste a soft, round cake made with almonds and honey instead of a meringue sandwich. Restaurants along Quai BĂ©lu serve these local specialties alongside seafood caught off the nearby coast.
Jules Verne's Amiens
Jules Verne wrote many of his most famous works in Amiens. Visit his former home at 2 Rue Charles Dubois, now a museum containing his manuscripts and personal belongings. The house maintains its 19th-century interior, including Verne's study where he wrote "Around the World in Eighty Days" while looking out over the city.
Getting Around
Two train stations serve Amiens: the main Gare d'Amiens and Gare de Saint-Roche. Direct trains from Paris Nord take 70 minutes. You can rent bikes from 26 VĂ©lam bike-sharing stations throughout the city. The compact city center puts most major sites within a 15-minute walk from the cathedral.
