Amiens Things to Do

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The height of the church is achieved in the arcades of the nave which go more than half way to the ogival vaulting. It is 42.5 m and i s the highest in France (excluding the 48 m of Beauvais). On the floor is a labyrinth (like at Chartres; See Our Customs Tip here). The transept Rose windows were added last in the 14C. The organ loft and organ in the west end are from the mid-15C.

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The portals of the west facade are the equal of those at Reims. The statues were executed just after the North and South porches at Chartres (of 1220) and benefitted from the talents of those workers and their followers. They are graceful and lively esecially the trumeau figures (L to R) of St. Firmin, Jesus and the Virgin and Child. The tympani and arches are similarly well carved (again L to R) covering the St. Firmin story, the Last Judgement (center), and the Death and Coronation of the Virgin, all standard themes. When we were there, the facade had never been cleaned since Viollet-le-Duc's time because there were no known preservatives and it was believed that the grime was a protection.

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Robert de Luzarche was the single architect who built the west facade and nave between 1220 and 1238.. A little after 1300 his assistants had completed the entire structure. The immense Rose window was not finished until the 16C. The two towers are of unequal size and do not have spires (but there is a very tall one (110m) on the crossing tower added in1529.).Of course Viollet-le-Duc restored it in the 1850’s (with no later criticisms). The three west portals are deeply recessed and the statuary on the embrasures are graceful. They were created shortly after the South porch of Chartres and probably used the same sculptors or their followers.The statues on the trumeaux are masterpieces. (See our picture of St. Firmin ,the 4C evangelizer of Amiens on the Northwest portal). Higher up is a gallery of Ancient Kings. Many more statues were added when the buttresses were strengthened in the 15C. The carving of the stonework is carefully designed. throughout. Below the embrasures the lower walls are covered with tetrafoils containing basreliefs depicting in sets: virtue, vices, signs of the Zodiac, Labors of the Months and other groups. Similar series are preseent on the South porch at Chartres.

As usual in France very good and well presented horse-racing at minimal cost. Only seven euros for the whole family to get in (compare that to UK race-courses where it is usually £15 each!). Betting is done via the tote in the betting hall. Minimum bet is 2 euros to win (gagner-simple). Most tellers speak english. Trotting (which is quite entertaining if you've never seen it before) and flat-racing. Some meetings are floodlit. Evening racing starts around 8pm.,,,fantastic chip baguettes.

If you can't follow the form sheet you are given at the gate just pick two horses you like the name of in each race and have 2 euros on each...over seven races the most you'll lose is 28 euros.

It's not huge so don't think that you're about to spend a week in an urban Serengetti. However I reckon you've got a pleasant enough three hours if you take a packed lunch (there's plenty of tables, benches and chairs inside the zoo so don't cram it down your neck outside the gates). There's monkeys a'plenty and a great penguin enclosure where you acn see them underwater too. Realtively cheap to get in...about 14 euros for the family...nice little zoo, tastefully done. Doesn't appear to have its own website, but only a page on the Amiens council website ...see link below.

Take a tour of the Hortillonges or Floating Gardens that have existed since the Roman times. The gardens are quite beautiful and the tour on the flat bottomed boat is quite serene. I do not know if the tour guides speak English as ours only spoke French.

The cathedral in Amiens is especailly beautiful and full of history. The cathedral in Amiens was for the longest period the religious seat of France with many relics from the Crusades being displayed there. At one point in time, there was a piece of the true cross that was recovered during the one of the crusades and one relic that is still there is supposedly the "face of John the Baptiste."

If you walk or kneel along the maze is an alternative to a pilgrimage to Israel. At the centre of the maze is a copper slab that bears the names of the founder of the cathedral. It is a replica. The original copper slab is in Picardy Museum. The interesting part is that when I tried, I could not even find the entrance of the Maze. A Mazing!