At the heart of Amiens (ah-mee-ehn; pop. 139,200) lies France’s largest Gothic cathedral, over twice the size of Paris’s Notre Dame. This impressive structure may be the city’s claim to fame, but Amiens’s particular charm comes from its more modest features: a canal-lined pedestrian quartier, a museum devoted to native son Jules Verne, and an array of youthful pubs. Beneath its quaint facade, Amiens is a surprisingly modern commercial center—yet its parks and nearby hiking trails provide a perfect escape from city life.
Hotels with the cheapest rooms (€30-40) cluster around the train station; options in the centre-ville are pricier. Amiens has no hostel or campground.
Quai Bélu is packed with canal-front cafes and restaurants. Kebab stands cluster around the station and between the river and the cathedral; brasseries surround the Hôtel de Ville. A Match supermarket is in the mall to the right of the station (open M-Sa 8:30am-8pm), and a Champion supermarket is in the basement of the shopping center next to Les Halles (open M-Sa 8:30am-8pm). Amiens’s main market takes over place Parmentier on Saturday morning (see Sights, below), while smaller markets are on place Beffroi. (Open W and Sa.)
Cathédrale De Notre-Dame. Though Amiens’s signature monument is France’s largest Gothic cathedral, it doesn’t necessarily feel enormous from inside—until you realize that you’ve walked roughly the length of an Olympic-size track and still haven’t covered it all. The structure features soaring columns and majestic stained-glass windows, but its showcase of religious artwork and funerary monuments makes it feel like an intimate museum. The cathedral was built in the 13th century to house a relic of John the Baptist’s head, which sits at the rear of the cathedral. Allied troops made the mournful Weeping Angel in the ambulatory behind the choir famous during WWI when they mailed home thousands of postcards of it. The labyrinth on the floor of the cathedral dates back to 1288; people used to complete the labyrinth on hands and knees as an acceptably holy alternative to the more difficult pilgrimage to Jerusalem. The towers provide a birds’-eye view of the city, but the 302-step ascent is difficult; tours are “not recommended for people with fragile constitutions.” In the summer and at Christmas, the front portals are lit up at night to display their original color. (☎03 22 80 03 41. Open daily Apr.-Oct. 8:30am-6:15pm; Nov.-Mar. 8:30am-5pm. Towers open to the public July-Aug. M and W-Su 2:30-5:15pm; Sept. and Apr.-June Sa-Su 2:30-5:15pm. Tours of the towers July-Aug. M and W-Su 11am; Sept. and Apr.-June M and W-F 3, 4:30pm; Oct.-Mar. M and W-Su 3:45pm. Nightly illuminations June 10:45pm; July 10:30pm; Aug. 10pm; Sept. 9:45pm; Dec.-Jan. 7pm. The tourist office holds tours in French; see Practical Information for details. The office also distributes audio tours at their office next door. €6.50, students €4.50, under 18 free. Tours €3, under 18 free. Audio tours €4, 2 or more €3 each.)
Maison De Jules Verne. The author of the acclaimed novel 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea wrote most of his fantastical works in this extraordinary maison. The first floor shows Verne’s home as it was in the late 19th century, complete with ghostly audio of old salon parties. Meanwhile, visitors partake in the author’s fictional adventures upstairs. A surprising life-size diorama of a ship echoes with the sound of roaring waves in the voyage nautique room. Colorful old posters depict drawings of Verne’s heroes, and maps scattered throughout the museum trace their expeditions. Look for the large collection of nifty old-fashioned board games inspired by Around the World in 80 Days. (2 rue Charles Dubois. ☎03 22 45 45 75; www.amiens.com/julesverne. Open M and W-F 10am-12:30pm and 2-6pm. Call ahead to reserve a guide. €5, students €3.50, ages 8-18 €2.50, under 8 free.)
Quartier Saint-Leu. The most attractive area of Amiens lies north of the cathedral, crisscrossed by branches of the Somme. Cobblestone streets border canals in this self-proclaimed “Little Venice of the North.” Nearby, hortillonages (market gardens) spread into the marshland. Walk along the path starting in the Parc St-Pierre, or tour the waterways on a traditional barque à cornets, a boat used by gardeners in the early 1900s. Don’t miss the creepy statue, Homme sur Sa Bouée (Man on His Buoy), visible from the bridge on rue de la Dodane. (☎03 22 92 12 18. 45min. boat tours in French leave from 54 bd. Beauvillé Apr.-Oct.; call for hours. €5.30, ages 11-16 €4.40, ages 3-10 €2.60. MC/V.)
Musée De Picardie. This museum houses a little bit of everything, including a floor of archaeological relics, works from the Roman age up to the 20th century, and a collection of French paintings and sculptures. See eye to eye with many famous faces in the spectacular room of busts. A small display of modern art includes gems by Balthus and Masson; in the rotonde des empereurs, marble statues of Apollo, Diana, and Mars loom in a haunting alcove display. (48 rue de la République. ☎03 22 97 14 00. Open Tu-Su 10am-12:30pm and 2-6pm. Wheelchair-accessible. Ask for guides in English. €5, students €3, ages 6-18 €2.50; special group rates.)
Parc Saint-Pierre. The gardens, picturesque bridges, and ample picnic space promise an enjoyable day. Soccer fields, running trails, and volleyball and basketball courts are a draw for athletes. (Open daily sunrise-sunset.) Popular with bicyclists, joggers, and families, the Circuit de la Canardière begins in Parc St-Pierre and continues for a 13.5km circuit along the Somme. To enter the trail, walk across the small Passerelle Samarobriva footbridge from bd. du Cange. Take a right on chemin de Halage, which becomes the well-marked trail. Pick up a free map of the trail at the tourist office.
The Théâtre de Marionnettes, 31 rue Édouard David, off rue Vanmarcke, stages shows in the Chés Cabotans d’Amiens theater; swing by the lobby during the day to view various exhibitions of the marionettes for free. Check www.ches-cabotans-damiens.com for schedules and exhibition times. (☎03 22 22 30 90. €10, students €6, under 12 €5. Open Tu-Sa 10am-noon and 2-6pm, Su 2-6pm.)
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