Amiens - commune in Somme, France

Amiens is the capital of the northern French region of Hauts-de-France. As well as its own attractions, the city makes a practical base from which to explore the area of the First World War's Western Front located nearby.

Get in

140 km 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, 49.890556°, 2.308333°. 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 parking lots of the city center.

Amiens has a decent bus system (€1.40 for a ticket which is valid one hour) and a community bicycle system but bicycles are not in useful areas.

See

• Amiens's cathedral (Basilique Cathédrale Notre-Dame d'Amiens), 49.895°, 2.302222°. 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.
• The Hortillonages (Hortillonnages d'Amiens), 54 Boulevard de Beauville, 49.896615°, 2.311320°, +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.

Do

• Jules Verne Museum, 49.8879°, 2.302°. The author's well-preserved 19th century home has become the small but cosy Jules Verne Museum, well worth a visit for those who are interested in literature.
• Amiens Circus, 49.8884°, 2.29546°. 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.

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, 49.894300°, 2.301565°, +33 3 22 52 98 49. 2017-07-12

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, 49.895536°, 2.303588°, +33 3 22 72 94 20. 2017-07-17
• Tower's Pub, 5 Place Alphonse Fiquet, 49.890870°, 2.306164°, +33 3 22 91 84 48. 2017-07-17

Sleep

• Holiday Inn Express Amiens, 10 Boulevard d'Alsace Lorraine, 49.891479°, 2.307451°, +33 3 22 22 38 50. Small but well furnished rooms. Can get hot in summer as no air-conditioning. Reasonable free breakfast. 2017-07-16
• Hôtel Marotte, 3 Rue Marotte, 49.891032°, 2.301185°, +33 3 60 12 50 00. 2017-06-20
• Grand Hotel De L'Univers (Best Western), 2 Rue de Noyon, 49.891104°, 2.304175°, +33 3 22 91 52 51. 2017-07-17

Go next

• Albert and the Thiepval Memorial to the missing of the Somme
• Saint-Quentin (Aisne)
• Abbeville
• Rouen
• Beauvais