Amiens

Amiens has all the hallmarks of a cultured French city: a magnificent Gothic cathedral, bustling cafés, fascinating museums, as well as a few surprising attractions. The largest Gothic cathedral in France and a UNESCO World Heritage Site is the Cathédrale Notre-Dame.

However, there is much more to discover outside of the cathedral. The Musée de Picardie in Amiens, one of France's top museums of fine arts, houses masterpieces of painting and sculpture in a magnificent Second Empire structure. The trendy district of Quartier Saint-Leu, a medieval quarter with a lot of restaurants, cafés, art galleries, and shops, should also be explored by visitors. Amiens is home to numerous interesting tourist sites, including the Maison de Jules Verne, a museum dedicated to the author, and the Cirque Jules Verne, a location for circus performances and a circus school. Les Hortillonnages, a 300-acre site with islands and canals covered in swamps and marshland gardens, is a very interesting location. Hortons, or gardeners, grow fruits and vegetables in these "floating gardens" and market their harvest at the weekly "Water Market" that takes place in the Quartier Saint-Leu on Saturday mornings.