Amiens is the capital of the northern French region of Hauts-de-France. As well as its own attractions, the city makes a practical base from which to explore the area of the First World War's Western Front located nearby.

Get in

140 km (87 mi) north of Paris. On the intersection of the A16 Abbeville - Beauvais and the A29 Rouen - Saint-Quentin (Aisne) and Reims. Providing direct access from the port of Le Havre and Calais, and an indirect but closer route from Dieppe.

• 1 Gare d'Amiens  

Get around

Community bicycle system in Amiens

There are many signs (direction, tourism, car parks). However, the city center is pedestrianized, it is advised to park a little farther, or in the numerous underground parking lots of the city center.

Amiens has a decent bus system (€1.40 for a ticket which is valid one hour) and a community bicycle system but bicycles are not in useful areas.

See

Amiens Cathedral

• 1 Amiens's cathedral  

Hortillonnages d'Amiens

• 2 The Hortillonages  

Do

• 1 Jules Verne Museum  
• 2 Amiens Circus  
• Football: Amiens SC play soccer in Ligue 2, the second tier in France. Their home ground Stade de la Licorne (capacity 12,100) is 3 km west of city centre.

Buy

There are a couple of tourist gift shops on the south side of the Place Notre Dame. The main shopping area is around Rue des Trois Cailloux.

• Macarons d'Amiens, small, round-shaped biscuit-type macaroons made from almond paste, fruit and honey.

Eat

Quai Belu on the north bank of the Somme has a good selection of restaurants, and some pleasant street seating. Quality food as catering for the locals but there is enough tourist trade that most have English menus available.

• 1 Big Ben, 12 Rue Cormont, ☏ +33 3 22 52 98 49. (updated Jul 2017)

Drink

The area between the cathedral and the river Somme around Rue des Bondés is a popular area for drinking with indoor and outside seating. There are also a few possibilities around the Place Gambetta and near the rail station.

• 1 Baobar, 2 Rue des Bondés, ☏ +33 3 22 72 94 20. (updated Jul 2017)
• 2 Tower's Pub, 5 Place Alphonse Fiquet, ☏ +33 3 22 91 84 48. (updated Jul 2017)

Sleep

• 1 Holiday Inn Express Amiens, 10 Boulevard d'Alsace Lorraine, ☏ +33 3 22 22 38 50. Small but well furnished rooms. Can get hot in summer as no air-conditioning. Reasonable free breakfast. (updated Jul 2017)
• 2 Hôtel Marotte, 3 Rue Marotte, ☏ +33 3 60 12 50 00. (updated Jun 2017)
• 3 Grand Hotel De L'Univers (Best Western), 2 Rue de Noyon, ☏ +33 3 22 91 52 51. (updated Jul 2017)

Go next

• Albert and the Thiepval Memorial to the missing of the Somme
• Saint-Quentin (Aisne)
• Abbeville
• Rouen
• Beauvais