The short version
- Trains from Paris Gare du Nord take 1 hour 5 minutes at the fastest, with about 33 a day and fares from €10 one-way.
- The cathedral tower climb, 302 steps, is €7 at set afternoon times, and the treasury is €5. Both close on Tuesday.
- In summer, and usually in December, the cathedral’s west front is lit after dark in the colors it was painted in the Middle Ages. The show is called Chroma.
- Boats tour the hortillonnages, 300 hectares of market gardens on canals, from April 1 to October 31. The 45-minute trip is €11, and the landing is 700 meters from the station.
- Jules Verne lived in this house from 1882 to 1900. It is €9 and closed on Tuesday.
- Saint-Leu, the old canal quarter below the cathedral, is where to eat by the water.
What to see
Start at the cathedral. The tower climb leaves at 14:00, 15:00 and 16:00 from October to March, and five times between 14:00 and 17:00 from April to September. Wear proper shoes; children under 6 can’t go up. Buy tickets in the bookshop at the top of the steps on the main front.
Come back at night for Chroma, 20 minutes of colored light that paints the west front as it looked in the Middle Ages. Watch it from the square. In 2026 it ran every evening from July 11 to September 12, and it usually runs in December too.
Take a boat into the hortillonnages, the floating gardens where about a dozen families still grow vegetables on islands between the canals. The traditional boats carry 12 passengers and a guide. Book online by 18:00 the day before.
Walk down into Saint-Leu: canals, half-timbered houses, the last two of the town’s old mills, and the Chés Cabotans puppet theater in a former cloth mill.
The Maison de Jules Verne holds more than 700 objects and papers from his years here. It is open every day but Tuesday, 10:00 to 12:30 and 14:00 to 18:00. The Musée de Picardie, closed on Monday, shares a €16 combined ticket with it.
Getting there and around
Trains run from Paris Gare du Nord to Amiens station in the center, many of them direct. TGV Haute-Picardie, on the high-speed line about 20 minutes from Amiens, is a different station, so check the arrival station when you book.
There is no airport worth using from Paris; Beauvais is about 50 kilometers away.
Amiens is a walking town. The station, the cathedral, Saint-Leu and the boat landing are all close together, and Vélam bikes are there for longer rides.
When to go
Come between April and October for the boats. The summer weeks add Chroma in the evening.
From November to March the garden boats stop, and the tower climb runs only three times a day. Chroma usually returns in December; check this year’s dates.
Don’t come on a Tuesday, when the cathedral towers, the treasury and the Jules Verne house are all closed. The Saturday morning market on Place Parmentier has growers from the hortillonnages.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Amiens a good day trip from Paris?
Yes. The fastest train from Gare du Nord takes 1 hour 5 minutes, and the cathedral, Saint-Leu and the boat landing are all within walking distance of the station. Go any day but Tuesday.
Can you climb the towers of Amiens Cathedral?
Yes, at set times in the afternoon: 302 steps for €7. Children under 6 are not allowed, and bad weather can cancel the climb. The towers are closed on Tuesday.
When can you visit the floating gardens?
The boats run from April 1 to October 31. The trip lasts 45 minutes and costs €11 for adults; book online by 18:00 the day before. From November to March there are no boats.
What should I eat in Amiens?
Try a macaron d’Amiens, a soft almond and honey cake, not the Paris kind. For lunch, order a ficelle picarde, a crepe rolled around ham and mushrooms and baked in cream, or a flamiche, the local leek tart.
Is there a First World War tour nearby?
Amiens is the gateway to the Somme battlefields. We don’t run Somme tours, but our private Verdun and WWI tour from Paris includes first-class rail, a private English-speaking driver-guide and Fort de Douaumont, meeting at Reims TGV station, March to November.
Our Most Popular Day Trips From Paris
Louvre, Montmartre and Notre Dame in eight hours with a private driver-guide.
