Cathedral

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Unmissable monument, it is a masterpiece of Flamboyant Gothic. The Cathedral celebrated its 800th anniversary in 2020 and deserves a good hour.

 

Start by admiring its facade and its portals and approach to contemplate the tympanum and its many sculptures. We then advise you to take a full tour of it in order to understand its architecture: the buttresses which form a forest of pikes and turrets, the numerous gargoyles that surround the building, ...

 

Discover the side portal and the neckless statues that adorn the door. Then go behind the cathedral to enter the bishop's garden, a haven of peace and greenery from where you can take sumptuous photos. Then come back to the square, passing by the medieval garden.

 

Finally, enter the building to appreciate its incredible dimensions which make it the 'biggest' cathedral in France. The volumes are incomparable. Gaze at the labyrinth-shaped floor, the symbolism of which represents a seemingly simple path to its goal but which involves doing the entire route before reaching the center.

 

Among the many things to discover in the heart, do not forget to take a look at the weeping angel, a symbol of the great war as published on many postcards, and the head (skull) of Saint John the Baptist, who was the ultimate relic for many pilgrimages to medieval times. The hole above the eye would be the proof that this skull is really that of Saint John the Baptist. For esoteric enthusiasts note that the rose window of the South portal consists of a five-pointed star pointing down!

 

Many other mysteries are to be discovered during your walk.

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Hours: every day from 8:30 a.m. to 5:15 p.m.

Free

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Possibility of climbing the bell tower and discovering an incomparable panorama of the city (paying).

 

Hortillonnages

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Incredible place if there is one; these are marshes that were transformed into plots of individual pleasure gardens. Formerly these plots were used for cultivation because the yield was 3 times higher than normal land. Today we discover a unique, calm, and natural landscape, in which we enter by boat and where we let ourselves sail between the gardens sometimes completely enveloped in a green jungle sometimes in a refined personal garden where the touches of color are carefully chosen. There you will still find a few market gardeners who practice permaculture and mischievous gardeners who compete in their imagination to make their land attractive.

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We advise you to discover the Hortillonnages either:

 

Guided boat tour with a guide at the Maison de Hortillonnages

The walk lasts about 45 min. Allow 1 hour of waiting.

Address ; 54 Boulevard de Beauvillé, 80000 Amiens

Opening hours; Every day from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Price: 12 € per person

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Self-guided tour with a boat rental. You are given a map of the area to discover and you sail from island to island, discovering contemporary works of art that adorn certain islands.

Address; Manure port 35 Rue Roger Allou

Opening; In summer only, Every day from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Allow 3 hours of boat trip.

Price: 49 € per boat

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The Saint-Leu district

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If there is a typical district of Amiens, it is that of Saint-Leu! It takes its name from the Church of Saint-Leu which stands in its center.

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Stroll between the canals and alleys from Rue Saint-Leu or Rue du Dodane. Red brick houses, half-timbered houses of all colors, working-class and dynamic districts, it is the favorite district for students because many faculties are established there as well as emblematic bars. The Saint-Leu district backs onto the Parc Saint Pierre. Park which deserves a walk because of its location and its landscapes around the lake with the added bonus of a superb view of the cathedral. The Amiens gladly escape the city center to find a little greenery. Come back to calm by the Aristide Briand Park. We then advise you to go to Quai Belu which also offers a breathtaking view of the Cathedral and has around fifteen restaurants. Perfect for dinner on a summer evening.

 

Downtown

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Walking through the city center, you will be able to discover most of the monuments of Amiens, for example the merchant street of Trois-Cailloux, the station and its unique glass roof, the Perret Tower, emblematic of the architectural style of the 1950s, the main squares of Amiens, the shirtless Marie clock, the courthouse, the town hall, the belfry, ...

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You can taste local specialties, such as the famous Amiens macaroons at Jean Trogneux or the beaten cake for example.

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To explore the city more in-depth, along the rue des 3 cailloux, you can take the passage du Logis du Roi to discover the King's residence when he lived in Amiens, the sumptuous storefront of the adjoining Sagittarius House and the Square Jules Bocquet, which offers a superb view of the Cathedral and the courthouse.

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Behind the town hall stands the Belfry of Amiens, more than 600 years old and which has passed through the ages with different functions. Approach the door to discover two small anachronistic sculptures of the mayors of the town in the 90s. You can visit this one! So check with the tourist office for the dates of the guided tours.

 

Consult the site : http://www.amiens-tourisme.com/

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The Chroma show

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In summer or in December, end your day with an exceptional outdoor show. Lasting about 30 minutes, at nightfall, Chroma tells the story of the cathedral by projecting poetic and symbolic paintings on its facade. This sound and light will take you to a world apart. At the end of the show, a tour guide usually presents the portals of the cathedral and the polychromies that could be seen during medieval times.

 

Meet on the cathedral square.

Hours:

10:30 p.m. in July,

10 p.m. in August,

9:45 p.m. in September

7 p.m. in December

Free