Amiens offers a range of cultural and scenic highlights: Notre-Dame d’Amiens showcases Gothic architecture, the Maison à la Tour is linked to a chapter in Jules Verne’s life, the Musée de Picardie features diverse collections, and the Hortillonnages offer a landscape of water and gardens. When planning your stay, you can decide whether to focus on architecture, literature and art, or exploring the landscape.

Notre-Dame d’Amiens and Gothic architecture

Notre-Dame d’Amiens is one of the largest churches in France and one of the most complete examples of 13th-century Gothic architecture. The cathedral is free to visit. Highlights include distinctive bronze reclining figures, a labyrinth and 16th-century choir stalls. These details add specific features of the interior to the broader view of this monumental building.

An 800-year-old route leads from the south tower, past the western rose window, to the highest point of the north tower. This gives the cathedral a clearly defined tour in addition to free admission. If you plan to take it, check the current visiting and booking conditions in advance.

Jules Verne in Amiens

Jules Verne lived as a tenant at the Maison à la Tour from 1882 to 1900. Today, the house is open to the public and presents more than 700 cultural objects and documents relating to Jules Verne. His long period of residence and the collection give the visit a specific connection to the writer, without limiting interest to a single chapter of his life.

Visits and a year-round programme of events are also available at the Maison de Jules Verne. If you have a particular date in mind, it is worth checking the current programme, as schedules may change. You can plan a visit focused on Jules Verne around either the collection and his life in the house or the events on offer at the time.

Musée de Picardie: collections and architecture

The Musée de Picardie has officially been designated a “Musée de France” since 5 January 2002. The main themes of its collections include archaeology, fine art, modern and contemporary art, and Islamic art. The range extends from archaeological subjects to different fields of art, offering several ways to approach a museum visit.

The building also has a history of its own: it was constructed between 1855 and 1867. Its notable rooms and architectural features include a large central salon or domed hall, reception galleries, and a Neo-Romanesque and Neo-Gothic chapel. The chapel was converted into a cafeteria and furnished with pieces by Székély. At the Musée de Picardie, an interest in the collections and the building’s history come together as different aspects of a visit.

Hortillonnages: canals, gardens and wetlands

The Hortillonnages form a mosaic of canals, bodies of water of various sizes, vegetable crops, allotment gardens, ornamental gardens, woodland and wetlands. The area’s character comes from the way these different landscapes sit alongside one another, rather than from any single feature. If you are looking for a counterpoint to churches and museum collections during your trip, the focus here is on water, gardens and wetlands.

The Hortillonnages are accessible from Amiens city centre. You can explore them from the Chemin de halage along a route of more than three kilometres; the Boulevard de Beauvillé bridge serves as a landmark. Since 1972, the Hortillonnages have been listed in the French inventory of natural monuments and sites. This date gives the landscape highlight a clear historical reference point.

Discover more destinations: Vauchelles-Lès-Domart, Boufflers, Arrest, Nesle, Dury, Longueau, Bray-lès-Mareuil, Friville-Escarbotin

For the broader travel overview: Somme.