Amiens Audio Guided Walking Tour 3h15 and 27 Audio Comments

The construction of this church is explained by the development of the railway line, which is right next door and which isolated this district called the Valley district.

So typical of the city that they are called Amiens, the terraced houses of Amiens have a well-recognized style: built in red brick, tile, cast iron and iron, they date from the 19th century to the time of the Industrial Revolution to accommodate workers and employees of textile, industry, glassware or locksmith.

With its height of 52 meters, the belfry of Amiens is part of the history of the city and the region. Belfry are particularly present in the cities of Northern France and Belgium and contain communal bells.

Here you are in front of the most visible building in Amiens, with the cathedral of course. From the top of its 110 meters, the Perret Tower is 10 km around! At the end of its construction, it was considered the tallest skyscraper in France, and even in all of Western Europe!

Place René Goblet is named after this former Amiens lawyer, who became Attorney General, Member of Parliament for the Somme and then President of the Trip Tip of Ministers between 1886 and 1887. There are amazing houses with singular architecture, typical of Amiens, but above all an imposing monument on your left,

You're now walking down Hostage Street. By the time I get to the next point of interest, let me tell you the rich history of the city. You are walking here on a street that already existed in Roman times, since it was part of Via Agrippa, a road built in the 1st century BC. C. to connect Amiens to Lyon.

It’s hard to pass through this street without noticing this superb 20th century Inn, commanded by André Bouctot and Marie-Louise Vagniez, a wealthy young couple who decide to settle in Amiens following their wedding. It was in 1911 that the architect Louis Duthoit completed this jewel of architecture,

Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, Journey to the Center of the Earth, Around the World in Eighty Days... Many best-selling books that could be mentioned among the sixty novels written by the famous writer Jules Verne, one of the greatest names of the nineteenth century.

Turn right: here you have a nice glimpse of the top of the Perret Tower. Here you can see the difference in architecture between its various parts, a square shot, a round shot, and the glass cube that is placed at its top. The purpose of this one is to illuminate the tower at dusk and make it visible for miles around.

In front of you stands an astonishing building that has all its importance here. This is one of the last hardcore circuses still standing in Europe! These buildings were gradually built in French cities during the 19th century,

Art and archaeology are in the spotlight in this museum opened in 1869. It is housed in a superb building built in the 19th century, intended from its creation to receive the city’s works of art, making it the first building built in France to become specifically a Museum of Fine Arts.

Here you are in one of the central squares, and in front of you stands the imposing Amiens City Inn. The version we see today, with its U-shaped plan, was completed in the 19th century, and restored the following century, following the bombings of the First World War.

Here is the rue des Trois Cailloux, a real shopping street in Amiens. Here you will find a large part of the shops in the city center, in this pretty artery very frequented by locals. It is a historic street, because it was created from the 15th century, when part of the city fortifications was removed.

On your left is the passage of the Logis du Roi, the one we will take to reach the next point of interest, but before that, I suggest you look at the building that is a little further on your right, at number 32. Do not hesitate to approach it to see the facade that corners the next street.

Majestic, huge, breathtaking... What complimentary adjectives that come to mind when we find ourselves facing Notre-Dame Cathedral in Amiens! Immense, at least, is one of its characteristics since it is the largest cathedral in France and by far: it is squarely double the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris!

Built after the Hundred Years' War, this church is the oldest church in the city after the cathedral. Built in the 15th century, it is a true testimony of flamboyant Gothic art and has a particularity that makes it rather unique: its bell tower leans north, which earns it the pretty nickname of “Little Pisa of Picardy”.

This is undoubtedly the most picturesque area of Amiens! Created in the Middle Ages, the Saint-Leu district was once the district of weavers, dyers and tanners, who took advantage of the proximity of the water and the approximately 25 mills in activity to develop their businesses and sell their products.

In front of you stands the church of Saint-Leu, the oldest in the city after the cathedral. It was built in 1449, but it is estimated that another church was already here before it, certainly destroyed some time earlier. The Church of Saint Leu replaced the old one.

On your right is one of the most lively and festive squares in Amiens. This is the Place du Don, where there are many dance bars and restaurants. From here you have a superb view of the cathedral and its spire, which rises to 112 meters.

Here you are above the Somme, the river that runs through the city and which gave its name to the valley of which Amiens is a part. In the heart of the picturesque Saint-Leu district, Rue de la Dodane is a historic road where there were many workshops and shops, which made it already a very lively place at the time.

It was at the end of the 19th century that the project to build the church of Saint-Rémi was born, in place of an old parish church of the 16th century which was demolished in 1850.

If you are looking for a lively place in Amiens, you are in the right place! The Quai Bélu is full of bars and restaurants that offer a superb setting on the banks of the Somme for a drink and to eat the specialities of the city!

On your left, a little further, is the pleasant Parc Saint-Pierre. Located between the Saint-Leu district and the Saint-Pierre district, this green space of 22 hectares is the privileged place for walks in the middle of nature, a few steps from the city center!

A true peculiarity of the city of Amiens, the hortiillonnages are a set of small floating gardens close to the city center! They start a few meters away, on your left. The swamps that once stood here were laid out in this way in the Middle Ages to allow market gardening in the heart of Amiens.

Take a look on your left. Built at the beginning of the 16th century, this remarkable building has seen the passing of some of the greatest figures of the time. Among them, King Louis XIII and his minister, Cardinal Richelieu, and even Louis XIV when he was a child. That’s why it’s called the King’s Home, even today.

It is a beautiful walk that awaits you on the Chemin du Halage, which starts from Parc Saint-Pierre and follows the Somme and the hortiillonages for several kilometers. At the time, the towpath was designed to allow the traction of boats that did not have an engine or could no longer use their sails to advance.

Pretty unusual clock, isn't it? This surprising monument is one of the symbols of the city, which is due to the architect Emile Ricquier, who also designed the sumptuous Jules Verne circus.