The Somme tourist board

(c) tibo@images.fr

Listed as a Unesco world heritage site, the harmony of its proportions, the purity of its lines, and its abundant statuary make it one of the finest examples of the Gothic Art.
"The cathedral in colour" : from mid-june to mid-September and during the Chritmas holidays, free light show at nightfall every night on the square in front of the cathedral.
In the Middle Ages, the sculpted designs on the west porches of Amiens Notre-Dame cathedral were painted in magnificient bright colours. Thanks to new technologies and to Skertzo, the multicoloured facade can today be reconstructed by light projection. The result is amazing, a revelation, a moment of pure emotion...

This is a picturesque quarter. Its small houses with colourful façades encourage leisurely strolls. Intimately linked to water, ancient Amiens is criss-crossed by a lot of canals. The coffee houses, restaurants and pubs provide welcoming outdoor terraces.
Crafts shops, antique stores and second-hand dealers also draw many visitors. The former effervescence of its craft industries and mills have now been replaced by the university student activities.

(c) CDT Somme-Alba Bayés

(c) CDT Somme-Alba Bayés

Close to the cathedral, fall under the charm of a boat trip along the water ! The boatman will take you in the very heart of the old district Saint-Leu. Discover the architecture, the colours and the life of this picturesque quarter from the canals. A unique boat trip which offers amazing views and a delightful and restful moment.

(c) Didier Cry

The famous marionette, Lafleur, is an ardent defender of the Picardy dialect. With his companions, he stages shows all year around in the marionette theatre, Chés Cabotans d'Amiens, located in the centre of Saint-Leu.

(c) CDT Somme-Alba Bayés

A mosaic of 300 hectares of market and ornamental gardens separated by little canals in the heart of the city. A listed site that can only be accessed by traditional horn-shaped boats.

(c) Laurent Rousselin-Amiens Métropole

Jules Verne got married with a woman from Amiens in 1857 and definitively settled in Amiens by 1871. He was then 43 years old when he wrote most of the works that made him famous.
Fantasy and reality were closely linked in the life of this famous writer. Restored in 2006, the house exhibits over 700 keepshakes that characterize his personality, and illustrate his sources of inspiration.
He is buried in the Madeleine cemetery in Amiens.

(c) Anne-Sophie Flament-Amiens Métropole

Housed in a pure Napoleon III style building, this museum, with its wealth of collections from Prehistory to the 20th century, is one of the finest in France.

(c) CDT Somme-Alba Bayés

A 6 hectares shady park is home to some 350 animals representing 70 species from the four corners of the world.

> 23 to 28 March 2010 : the World Music and Jazz Festival
> 25 April 2010 and 3 October 2010 : the big flea Market
> 20 June 2010 : the Town Festival and Water Market
> 12-21 November 2010 : Amiens International Film Festival
> 27 November to 24 December 2010: the Christmas market