The historic center of Amiens is just a short walk from the train station and has a variety of pedestrian streets, restaurants and cafés, and interesting buildings. The major sites are all fairly close together and easily accessible on foot.

Cathedral Notre-Dame d'Amiens

The ornate and beautiful Amiens Cathedral is the largest Gothic structure in France, at least in terms of volume. A world heritage site since 1981, the cathedral is often the first place people visit in Amiens. More...

Les Hortillonnages

Never heard the word hortillonnage? Neither had we. This may be translated as floating gardens and refers to the huge expanse of canals, gardens, and marshes, right in the city. Now a protected refuge, you can visit the hortillonnages by boat and walk along trails among them. More...

Saint-Leu

Saint-Leu refers to the oldest part of Amiens, which is also encircled by the Somme River and various canals. In addition to lovely views and interesting architecture, you'll find many canal-side restaurants here. More...

Maison Jules Verne

Jules Verne lived in Amiens for eight years, and his home is now a museum where you can learn about his writing and adventures. More...

Musée de Picardie

The Musée de Picardie is a fine arts museum designed on the model of the Louvre in Paris. Its collection includes fine arts as well as archaeological collections from prehistory to more modern times. The museum is undergoing significant restoration work (un musée en chantier) and as of 2017 is closed until the work is completed. The lovely building was constructed between 1855 and 1867.

Amiens in World War I

Amiens is a great base or starting point for visiting some of nearby sites and monuments of World War I. The Battle of the Somme (1916) was in this region, and in 1918 the Battle of Amiens is considered the beginning of the Allied offensive that eventually led to the end of World War I. More...

In addition to these specific sites, the center of Amiens is a fun place to walk, and quite a bit of it is reserved for pedestrians. You'll see interesting sites such as the graceful clock tower, the large and ornate Hôtel de Ville (Town Hall), the shopping street Rue des Trois Cailloux, and the grassy Place Gambetta, with its fountain where children splash on hot summer days. Keep an eye out too for the Cirque Jules Verne, a large circus structure not far from the Maison Jules Verne. And of course there are lots of cafés where you can stop to enjoy a drink or a meal and rest your feet.

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