This is another wonderful city to walk in my belle France. So many times in Amiens, yet not there lately due to the virus syndrome scaring us all. I have plenty written on it in my blog, so will do this one in my black and white series, no pictures. Hope you enjoy my brief walk of Amiens!!
And I take you up to Amiens, the heart of the Somme river. In the neighborhood of Saint Leu the town relive with modernity and keeping the old traditions of this great city of the north. This is the neightborhood of the artists and which the arm of the Somme river was a big help. Saint Leu was a little Venice of the North for Louis XI. A trip on its canals is a good initiation to the beat of Amiens.
You have narrow streets, winding with small colorful houses along the banks of the Somme river with restaurants, cafés, antiquares, the popular old neighborhood of Saint Leu comes to life.
By the Pont de la Dodane, and to the left the quai Bélu de la Queue de la Vache it was here that the beast were brought to the river, today is a big nightime of the locals is here. At no 35 there is a narrow impasse with colorful houses, and the passage Bélu few meters open the antiques and fleas market.
Going back out to the Pont du Cange the oldest in Amiens has lost two towers on the right the quai Parmentier the place of meeting of the market gardeners and gourmets every Saturday. You go on to the picturesque streets of Rue des Archers, rue des Coches, rue de Parcheminiers, will get you started in old Saint Leu showing the old traditions.
At the corner of rue de la Dodane and rue Motte, see several beautiful colorful houses with different materials from wood, to red bars, alternative of bricks to bring out the chalk or the flat tile or pan de Beauvais. On the other side of the river, see at No 56 the narrowest house in Saint Leu and at no 58 with four meters facade and two meters across a typicla house of Amiens. The rue Canteraine takes you to the pont à Moinet the most elegant. To the left, the sacristy of the Church Saint Leu straddling the canal, the passarelle to the right takes you to place Aristide Briand where on a green spot see Lafleur the homegrown puppet . You can see performances at the Théatre Chés Cabotans d’Amiens at 31 rue Edouard David, webpage: https://www.ches-cabotans-damiens.com/
And of course, you cannot miss this one ever, the grand gorgeous immense Cathédrale Notre Dame d’Amiens built between 1220 and 1270. Its dimensions are impressive with 145 meters long, an interior volume of 200K sq meters, it could hold two ND de Paris! A nave of 126 pillars that raise 42.5 meters high and spire of 113 meters. A biblical iconography that is simply awesome with 400 sculpture scenes on armrests of the 110 stalls with unusual representations of trades, stories, and other mores of daily life. From the north tower of the Cathedral and after climbing 307 steps you have a magnificent view of the city of Amiens with below the medieval bishop’s garden. The cathedral was destroyed in may 1940 in 60% rebuilt in the 1950’s.
The city of Amiens and its heritage: https://www.amiens.fr/Vivre-a-Amiens/Culture-Patrimoine
The Amiens tourist office on its heritage: https://www.visit-amiens.com/culture-heritage
Today we come to Amiens for the arts ;the history, the musée de Picardie housing a wonderful collection and to walk its streets or enjoy the terraces of Saint Leu. Nice Amiens in dept 80 of the Somme and in the region of Hauts de France. Enjoy the walks in Amiens!
And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all!!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 
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