The Somme tourist board

© 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 The former effervescence of its craft industries and mills have now been replaced by the university student activities.

© CDT Somme/Alba Bayés

© 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.

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.

© Didier Cry

© CDT Somme-Alba Bayés

Cultivated since the Middle Ages by market gardeners, these "floating" gardens, which can only be reached by boat, are enclosed by branches of the Rivers Somme and Avre and extend over 300 hectares, through the municipalities of Rivery, Camon, Longueau and Amiens. The plots of land are intersected by canals, "rieux", which can be navigated by flat-bottomed boats known as "cones". The main feature of these boats is the raised front to facilitate coming alongside without destroying the bank. In the past they were used to carry vegetables. During the tour, learn about the flora and fauna, depending on the time of year. At the reception office, a video presentation of the site.

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.

© Laurent Rousselin-Amiens Métropole

© Anne-Sophie Flament-Amiens Métropole

This is one of the finest museums in France. Aside from the Egyptian and Greek antiquities, most of the collections are made up of pieces from the different stages of regional history. The medieval collection offers a set of objets d'art and sculptures from the 12th to the 16th century. French sculptures from the 17th to the 19th century, murals that decorate the staircase and gallery by Puvis de Chavannes; Puys d'Amiens from the Cathedral. French and foreign paintings from the 17th to the 20th century (El Greco, Ribera, Frans Hals, Chardin, Boucher, Fragonard, Courbet, Corot, Picasso, Bacon, etc.)
'Tourism & Handicap' establishment

The protection of biodiversity is a key mission for zoos in the 21st century. The Amiens zoo is now involved in conservation projects.
Member of the European Association for Zoos and Aquariums, it takes part in dozens of projects for raising endangered species like the red pandas or maned wolves.
Located on the Hotoie esplanade, this 6ha zoo is home to around 300 representatives of around sixty species from all over the world.
In a green setting, very close to the city centre, elephants, penguins, sealions and more live together.

© CDT Somme-Alba Bayés

> 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