Tourism Amiens : a green and blue city

Amiens is situated 130 km north of Paris on the left bank of the Somme, which is divided into several branches. Amiens is the capital of Picardy and of the département of Somme. Located at the intersection of roads linking Paris with the rest of France, the U.K, Belgium and Germany. Amiens is a vibrant city and popular tourist center, renovated after suffering heavy bombing during the Second World War, which fortunately spared its amazing cathedral. Amiens has long been well known for its linen, wool, cotton and jute industries.

The city has many other treasures: belfry, museums, Jules Verne's house, a picturesque quarter St Leu, crossed by canals of the Somme as well as 300 hectares of gardens stretch across the heart of the city. They are divided up by 55 km of small canals. This area can only be visited by punt or on foot from the towpath. The Hortillonages are former marshes, created from the several branches of the Somme River.

As you drift along the canals you will find the calm and peacefulness of the site amazing, even though it is right in the middle of the city. The light creates spectacular colourful scenes. Today, the market still takes place, every Saturday morning, on the Quai Parmentier. A few families still remain who make a living from their produce, as the richness of the soil allows for three harvests a year. The plots are increasingly used mainly as leisure gardens.

Sights in Amiens

• The Cathedral Notre dame of Amiens
• Jules Verne's house
• Picardie museum
• Saint-Leu square
• Towers of the Cathedral of Amiens