Amiens tourist information
Amiens, the capital of Picardy, is a town rich in art and history. It is famous for its gothic cathedral which is listed by UNESCO as a world heritage site. Thanks to the speed with which it was built and to the technical developments of its day, Notre Dame cathedral in Amiens displays a rare homogeneity of style.
From the entrance, the eye is met by the seven bays of the nave which are an average of 14.6m wide and 54m long Also extraordinary is the light which bathes the interior of the cathedral, because of the height of the arches and the size of the doors and the windowed triforium of the chancel and transept.
110 oak stalls, made between 1508 and 1522, served as seats for the canons of the cathedral. These are made up of 4,000 carved figures, representing the professions of the people of Amiens at the time. These were sculpted by local artists.
It is the oldest lead-covered wooden spire in France. It reaches its highest point at 112m and towers 56m above the roof of the cathedral. However, the town hides many other treasures: belfry, museums, Jules Verne's house, a picturesque quarter (Le Quartier St Leu) crossed by canals of the Somme, a tradition of puppetry…
300 hectares of gardens stretch across the heart of the town of Amiens. They are divided up by 55 kilometres of rieux (small canals). This area can only be visited by punt or on foot from the towpath. The Hortillonages are former marshes, created from thirteen branches and channels of the Somme River.
As you drift along the rieux you will be amazed by the calm and tranquillity of the place, although it is right in the heart of the city. The light creates scenes of unforgettable colour. Throughout the visit, the boatman points out the wildlife and rare plants, tells tales of the Hortillonages or just leaves you to appreciate the peacefulness of this area. 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 3 harvests a year. The plots are increasingly used mainly as pleasure gardens
by Picardie
Amiens aerial map
Please click on any icon on the Amiens aerial tourist map, to find close by places, offering hotels and tourist information. You can zoom in and zoom out our touristical map as well as switch between satelite and map view of Amiens.
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