A great side trip from Paris - Amiens!

Thanks for posting this. I’m accumulating ideas for day trips in the Fall and I’m intrigued by your descriptions.

Thanks for posting this. I’m accumulating ideas for day trips in the
Fall and I’m intrigued by your descriptions.

I hope you consider visiting Amiens, if you do come back and let us know!

However, sadly you will miss the stunning light show at the largest cathedral in France since it runs only during the summer (until the end of August) and during the month of December. It isn't shown in the spring or fall months. But they do have THIS EVENT in October, it is like giant, citywide flea market.

How true, Amiens is basically empty of tourists, even in the summer. I went there in 2023 after years of having not visiting it and again in June 2024. The cathedral is not to be missed.

I like Amiens, was there the first time in 1989 as a day trip from Paris Nord, and much cheaper to stay than in Paris, just take the train in.

Amiens was the site of horrendous fighting in WW1 and WW2. The military cemeteries of the British dot the countryside and that of the Germans and the British are located not too far from Amiens in Fricourt.

Bookmarked for a future trip back to Paris. Thanks for the recommendation.

Thanks StellaB for the information. It's under a 1.5 hour train ride from Gare du Nord. Fodor's France has a bit on Amiens, but Rick Steves France does not. Maybe that's a good thing?! It sounds lovely. I've included it in my itinerary for our September visit to Paris.
Fodor's says to . . ."lift up some of the 110 choir-stall seats, and admire the humorous, skillful misericord seat carvings executed between 1508 and 1518" in the Cathédrale Notre Dame. I might just have to do that.
Visiting the Maison Jules-Verne is a must for me. Thanks again!

We watched a Great Courses lecture series on Cathedrals and the lecturer said his favorite cathedral was Amiens! So of course, it’s on the list!

Thanks so much, might be something to add when I’m in Paris in February. The cathedral would be wonderful to see, and the art museum too. I really appreciate learning this.

Good idea to promote Amiens. It proofs travelling off the beaten path can pay off.

Good idea to promote Amiens. It proofs travelling off the beaten path
can pay off.

Funny, because Amiens is on a main train line, and not far from Paris, so I don't know how it got "off the beaten path." I even have a friend who was born and raised in Paris - lived there most of her life - and had never been to Amiens until she went there with me.

I've suggested Amiens to everyone I know who was planning a trip to France and asked me what they should see, but to this day not one of them ever went there. Did someone cast a spell on this city that I don't know about? LOL

Psst… Don’t say it loud. It has to do with narrow mindedness :-). If you are brought up with the idea that Paris is the center of the world, why should you look further. In case the Notre Dame of Amiens would have burn’t down at the time, would that have caused the same wave of sadness? Would be still in ruins, don’t you think so?

France is blessed with an unique soil, not only good for making excellent wines, but also good for the production of limestone. It’s widely used as a building material for almost any kind of buildings in the country, including cathedrals. And gives it’s unique lightness and brightness to it’s architecture everybody loves so much.

However with the exception of that part of France north of Île-de-France and the Belgian border. Where brick is the omnipresent building material and gives everything a lesser appealing appearance. It’s also lesser wealthy, more heavy industry, the extensive agricultural areas with little variation in scenery is boring travelling through. Think this are some reasons why the area around Amiens has a lesser good reputation compared to other regions like Normandy and Burgundy. And so the reason it’s overlooked.

However with the exception of that part of France north of
Île-de-France and the Belgian border. Where brick is the omnipresent
building material and gives everything a lesser appealing appearance.
It’s also lesser wealthy, more heavy industry, the extensive
agricultural areas with little variation in scenery is boring
travelling through. Think this are some reasons why the area around
Amiens has a lesser good reputation compared to other regions like
Normandy and Burgundy. And so the reason it’s overlooked.

Very interesting points! Yes, it is true that the countryside in this region isn't really "stunning" although it is pleasant enough. Driving through northern France the scenery can get a little dull for sure. But the magnificent Cathedral alone should bring droves of visitors along with such sites as the Tour Perret, the Beffroi d'Amiens, the Horloge Dewailly et Marie-sans-chemise (my personal favorite, I love it!), the Cirque Jules Verne, and les hortillonnages. Not to mention the Picardy museum with archaeological finds like the Acheulean tools and Roman artifacts. Too bad people overlook these attractions - including Rick Steves himself, who apparently doesn't include this city in the guides (as far as I know.)

The flea market you mentioned is on the first Sunday of October. I will be in Paris at that time but reading that the flea market attracts people from all over the world made me think that I would rather go at a less crowded time. I definitely do plan to go.

The flea market you mentioned is on the first Sunday of October. I
will be in Paris at that time but reading that the flea market
attracts people from all over the world made me think that I would
rather go at a less crowded time. I definitely do plan to go.

I did go to that flea market when I was in Amiens (I lived there for several months in 2014-15 while studying at UPJV) and it was the coolest thing ever, I still have some things I bought there which was real vintage and antique stuff . I guess it was crowded but it is spread out over the whole centre-ville so it wasn't bad, just a festive atmosphere on a bright Fall day. (It was actually pretty awesome!).

Interesting…you may have changed my mind. :-)

A month earlier on Saturday 6 september and Sunday 7 September Lille will have it's annual flea market during the Grande Braderie de Lille. It's enormous and expect it attracts like the one of Amiens a serious number of visitors.

I'm in!
Anyone have a hotel recommendation?

Anyone have a hotel recommendation?

I was going to recommend Hôtel le Carlton but I just looked it up to find the link and it says it is "permanently closed."

The last time I was there was about three years ago, and I stayed in this Airbnb which was super nice. It is situated right on the canal and near the Quartier St-Leu (the center of nightlife, such as it is) as well as just a short walk to the cathedral and city center. And it is walkable from the train station - almost any accommodations in the city center are walkable from the train station, it is very compact.

Thank you Stella!
I'm also thinking about the ibis Styles Amiens Centre, which gets good reviews and has rooms for our trip in July.

I'm also thinking about the ibis Styles Amiens Centre, which gets good
reviews and has rooms for our trip in July.

Yes, that one is very nice and just a few steps from the train station - good location. Feel free to contact me if you want any more suggestions!

Last April we were driving from Bayeux to Lille to catch a train to Belgium. (We had a tight window to return the rental car and catch the train so we were watching our time closely) but had a few hours to spend before getting to Lille. We decided to go to Amiens to see the Cathedral. We only saw it from afar because it was Sunday and there was no way we could get through the Sunday's farmers market set up, (or some sort of market) people, traffic, etc. Everything was blocked. We could't afford to get stuck; so except for seeing the Cathedral from afar it didn't work out. I've heard so much more about what we missed since having tried to visit.

We only saw it from afar because it was Sunday and there was no way
we could get through the Sunday's farmers market set up, (or some sort
of market) people, traffic, etc.

Oh, wow, it sounds like you stopped in Amiens during it's bi-annual city-wide flea market! (Grande Réderie d'Amiens) It takes places twice a year in April and October and draws people from all over northern France and beyond. Too bad you didn't have time to browse around.

Normally, any given Sunday is quiet in Amiens and you can stroll right up to the Cathedral and wander inside. It is worth the trip!

StellaB, you must be correct! Because whatever was going on we weren't driving through the city to get anywhere! And we could't afford to get stuck trying to get out with such limited time. And it now makes sense, because we thought if it was a farmer's market it was the busiest farmer's market we've ever seen! I would agree much of Northern France was there!

My sweetie and I spent several days in Amiens three years ago as we we'd been to France a couple of times and were looking for a less touristed spot we hadn't been too. Plenty of French tourists at the Cathedral which was amazing and definitely off the beaten track in many ways. The Hortillonnages was (were?) fabulous. Never seen anything like it and our bonus was which actually stayed in a guest house on one of the canals. There is a tourist oriented tour however we had a tour conducted by our innkeeper. That said much of the city is more modern architecture (seemed to me) owing I assume to the wars. Nonetheless I would definitely go back.