Picardie

Amiens (80 Somme, Picardie) holds an annual “Marche sur l’eau” as part of its annual Festival - on 21 June 2009.
There are nearly 300 hectares of gardens right in the centre of the Amiens agglomeration criss-crossed by over 65 kilometres of waterways: Hortillonnages (canals in the local Picard language). This complex network of canals, ponds and parcels of land makes up a unique landscape which, when seen from the air looks like an irregular patchwork.
Once a year, in June, the market takes place like in the old days : market gardeners bring their fresh fruit and vegetables in their boats and sell from the quayside.

The Somme evokes images of World War I and battlefields, but it has much mroe to offer. The magnificent Gothic cathedral is well-worth seeing, although to my mind the Tour Perret is any ugly concrete monstrosity which detracts from the splendour of the nearby Cathedral.

Capital of the Picardy region, Amiens will surprise you with its mix of audacity, art and history! Notre-Dame d’Amiens, the Gothic Cathedral, is listed in UNESCO’s World Heritage and will amaze the visitors with its polychronic portals. Other treasures to discover are the first French Museum built to house the exhibition of Fine Arts, the first European skycraper designed by Perret and one of the first French belfries. Visitors can also enjoy a stroll down Amiens’s canal and waterborne markets before indulging in macaroons, ficelle picarde (savoury pancake) and gateau battu (sugared brioche).Do not wait any longer to discover the relaxing, medieval and pioneering Amiens!

“Amiens Cathedral in colour” takes place from 15 June to 19 September 2009:

The magical effect of coloured lighting on the façade of the cathedral provides visitors with an original view of medieval architecture.

For more info see www.visit-amiens.com/

Featured at the France Show was a fascinating display of images sponsored by the London College of Communication – University of the Arts London and Maison de la France representing the 22 French cities - which encouraged young photographers from the UK to take photos of French cities from a different perspective.

In April 2008, 22 students from the Photographic department were welcomed each in one of the 22 participating cities. The participants ranged in age between 20 and 35 years old, as well as originating from 15 different countries. Each student was given an “emotional passport” to express their own talent and sense and to capture the daily life of France. Their only requirement: let the dreams and emotions of the people and places be the guide!

The venues include Aix-en-Provence, Amiens, Angers, Avignon, Bordeaux, Dijon, Grenoble, Le Havre, Lille, Marseille, Metz, Montpellier, Mulhouse, Nancy, Nantes, Nice, Nimes, Reims. Rennes, Rouen, Toulouse and Versailles.

For more info see www.franceemotion.com/

Amiens Christmas Market (80 Somme, Picardie) runs from 29 Nov - 27 Dec 2008

Said to be the biggest and greatest Christmas market in Northern France, Amiens town centre is converted into a festive Christmas scene. Look our for stalls offering local eel, shrimp, duck and trout, as well as Beauvais chocolate and Amiens macaroons

This year Amiens will be hosting 125 woodstalls which will extend from rue de Noyon to the Hôtel de ville (city hall) and the Halles du Beffroi (Belfry covered market). From France and elsewhere, these chalets will provide you with many gift ideas – crafts, decorations and gourmet products – in an atmosphere filled with the sweet aromas and flavours of the Christmas and New Year celebrations.

More colourful than ever, these chalets will set the scene of this key event for young and old to enjoy! A huge arch set up on rue de Noyon is the entrance to the market and its magical village.

For the occasion the entire city centre will be immersed in the imaginary world of Jules Verne and invites visitors to explore this world of dreams and festivities.

Also throughout December the fine gothic cathedral is the centre of a dramatic light show each evening which illuminates the building and brings out is architectural splendour with la cathédrale en couleurs - the Cathedral of Notre Dame in colour!

For more info see www.visit-amiens.com

The town of Laon (02 Aisne, Picardie) is always an impressive sight, situated on the rocky promontory overlooking the plains of Picardy and Champagne, with the 12th Century Cathedral of Notre Dame as its focal point - a landmark on the otherwise rather uninspiring autoroute A26 from Calais to Reims.

View of Laon in Picardie

The town holds its Christmas Market (Marché de Noel) in the streets around the medieval Cathedral on 6, 7 and 10 Decembre 2008.

St Quentin (02 Aisne, Picardie) further north up the A26 autoroute holds its Christmas Market rather later - from 22 December 2008 to 4 January 2009 around the rather flamboyant gothic Hotel de Ville - and in addition offers a skating rink and a nordic skiing course with real snow!!

For more info on Laon see Office de Tourisme du Pays de Laon

For more info on St Quentin see Office de Tourisme de St Quentin

I remain of the view that Picardie is an area that is often overlooked or passed by or through on the way to somewhere else – Paris and south! But given its proximity to the UK (both from Calais/Boulogne/Dunkerque – and the LD lines terminal at Dieppe) it does offer an attractive and interesting destination for a short break. Apart from the glorious coastline and abundant wildlife you can also indulge in a bit of retail therapy! 

The Rederies in Amiens – Sunday 5 October 2008

Amiens is not only a great city to visit with its fine Gothic cathedral, it also holds one of the best markets in northern France. IndOver 2000 stall holders, professionals and Amiens inhabitants take part in the “Réderies”.which attracts visitors from all over northern Europe.

Fouquerolles (near Laon) hosts an annual Book Festival (Fete du Livre) from 20-28 September 2008 which celebrates the written word in all its forms. There are about 10,000 people every year participating in this event with second hand books, rare books, 40 to 50 writers meeting the public and signing their books and participating in conferences. There will also be entertainment for the whole family thorough the day: street entertainers, musicians and story tellers, everything you need to spend an excellent weekend.