Amiens Travel Guide, France

Amiens

Situated in the north of France in the department of Picardie, Amiens is not far from Paris; you can easily drive or take the train for 100 kilometers to see this town on the Somme River. The town is a rather small one - 120.000 inhabitants that occupy themselves mainly with commerce and industry.

Even if the climate is humid and you cannot get much sun, the quiet atmosphere of the city is quite alluring. After strolling on the quiet streets and seeing the red brick houses you will start wondering if you are still in France and not in Britain. La Manche is not far away - about 25 kilometres.

Amiens is the city of the father of science fiction, Jules Verne, and you will find his figure about almost everywhere but of course there are plenty of sights to visit and discover.

Among the most popular are the Notre-Dame cathedral and its towers, Jules Verne Museum, Picardie Museum, St Leu Quarter, The Cirque, The Stained Class Gallery, The Archaeological Garden and of course its surroundings-  St. Peter’s Abby, Lombart Museum, the Medieval Castle of Folleville, Samara Park or the Underground City of Naours.

Notre Dame Cathedral - the highest cathedral finished in France is in the Unesco world patrimony. It also has the first place as regarding its interior surface, more than 200.000 m and its nave - the highest attain 42 meters. You will be also amazed by the number of statues, statuettes and other architectural motives, representing scenes from the Bible and from the Christian history. But the „piece de resistance” is undoubtedly the relics of Saint John the Baptizer, namely its head.

Jules Verne Museum - When visiting this 4-storey building you will enter a world of imagination. Many of Verne’s objects are still in their place, as the writer used them, but you will also discover things that his novels brought along: you will meet captain Nemo or Phileas Fogg and his journey companion, Passepartout.

St. Leu Quarter - a very popular quarter, once the heart of the artisans of the city. Today you can enter libraries, boutiques, art galleries or antiquaries or great the people that live in these small pretty houses on these narrow streets. Oh, you don’t know how to best visit it? Well, you can rest your feet for once and try the boat or the chaise.

Samara Park - situated at 15 km from Amiens it is a place for history fans. From the ancient times, history is retraced in a vivid manner on 1200 m2 of expositions, animations or artisan demonstrations. You can spend an entire day in the middle of nature, discovering your roots.

The Underground City of Naours - this is the city that people tunnelled in seek of refuge and it is quite big: more than 300 rooms, public squares, cattle-sheds and even a chapel that welcomed 2600 persons with their cattle.

Nightlife

If you are in Amiens in December don’t miss to go out in the streets during night as Notre-Dame Cathedral will be in colours and lights and you will be able to taste the cuisine of Picardie in the Christmas Market - one of the biggest in France.

If you happen to be in Amiens when there is “La Nuit Blanche”- White Night you will definitely not sleep as there are concerts and theatre plays on the streets, projections and expositions.

Many brassieres and bistros are waiting for you, mainly in the centre of the city:  Brasserie de Provinces, Brasserie Jules, Bar le Lieu, Brasserie La Coupole, Brussel’s Café, Bar Kocoon.  If you want to spend some time with your friends go dancing to the discos in town: Le Millenium, Lipstick or Nemo.

You can also go bowling to Bowling Picardie or for a game of billiard to L’Amply-Billiard.