⚠ Announcement

Amiens, on the Somme River, has been a textile center since medieval days. It is renowned for its Gothic cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and one of the largest 'classic' French Gothic churches of the 13th century. The Ardennes attracted writers such as Victor Hugo, George Sand, and Alexandre Dumas who evoked its beauty in their writings. Shops and cafes line the Quartier St.-Leu's narrow streets, floating market gardens (hortillonnages) dot the city's canals, and the Musée de Picardie shows art and antiquities spanning centuries. Nearby, the Maison de Jules Verne is a museum where the science fiction author once lived. The sandy beaches of Le Touquet-Paris-Plage are the most fashionable and best-equipped of the many resorts along the Channel.