Normandy, Brittany & the Best of the North_ With Paris (Fodor's) - Fodor's [74]
Behind an opulent columned facade, the Musée de Picardie, built 1855–67, looks like a pompous offering from the Second Empire. Initial impressions are hardly challenged by its grand staircase lined with monumental frescoes by local-born Puvis de Chavannes, or its central hall with huge canvases, like Gérôme’s 1855 Siècle d’Auguste and Maignon’s 1892 Mort de Carpeaux. One step beyond, though, and you’re in a rotunda painted top to bottom in modern minimalist fashion by Sol LeWitt. The basement is filled with subtly lighted archaeological finds and Egyptian artifacts beneath masterly brick vaulting. The ground floor reopened in 2009 after extensive renovation; the upper floor is scheduled to reopen in late 2010. | 48 rue de la République | 80000 | 03–22–97–14–00 | www.amiens.fr/musees | €5 | Tues.–Sun. 10–12:30 and 2–6.
Jules Verne (1828–1905) lived in Amiens for the last 35 years of his life, and his former home, renovated in 2005 to mark the centenary of his death, is now the Maison Jules-Verne (2 rue Charles-Dubois | 80000 | 03–22–45–45–75 | www.jules-verne.net | €7 | Mid-Apr.–mid-Oct., weekdays 10–12:30 and 2–6:30, weekends 11–6:30; mid-Oct.–mid-Apr., Wed.–Mon. 2–6). It contains some 15,000 documents about Verne’s life as well as original furniture and a reconstruction of the writing studio where he created his science-fiction classics.
The Hortillonnages, on the east side of town, are commercial water gardens—covering more than 700 acres—where vegetables have been grown since Roman times. There’s a 45-minute boat tour of these aquatic jewels. | Boats leave from 54 bd. de Beauvillé | 80000 | 03–22–92–12–18 | €6 | Apr.–Oct., daily 2–5.
WHERE TO EAT AND STAY IN AMIENS
Les Marissons.
$$$ | FRENCH | In the scenic St-Leu section of Amiens, beneath the cathedral, is this picturesque waterside restaurant in an elegantly transformed boatbuilding shed. Chef Antoine Benoit offers creative takes on foie gras and regional ingredients: eel, duck pâté with figs in pastry, rabbit with mint and goat cheese, and pigeon with black currants. His turbot with apricots has been a house favorite since the restaurant opened in the 1980s. To avoid pricey dining à la carte, order from the prix-fixe menus. | Pont de la Dodone, 68 rue des Marissons | 80000 | 03–22–92–96–66 | www.les-marissons.fr | AE, DC, MC, V | Closed Sun. and 3 wks in May. No lunch Wed. or Sat.
Carlton.
$ | This hotel near the train station has a stylish Belle Époque facade. In contrast, rooms are sober and functional, though light and airy, with spacious marble bathrooms; the largest room, with a view of the city skyline, is No. 403. Foreign guests are common, and English is spoken. The restaurant, La Brasserie des Capucines, serves regional, mainly meat dishes. Pros: central location; free Wi-Fi; friendly staff. Cons: some rooms lack charm; used for corporate seminars. | 42 rue de Noyon | 80000 | 03–22–97–72–22 | www.lecarlton.fr | 24 rooms | In-room: a/c, Wi-Fi. In-hotel: restaurant, parking (paid), some pets allowed | AE, DC, MC, V | BP.
THE ARTS IN AMIENS
The Théâtre de Marionnettes (31 rue Edouard-David | 80000 | 03–22–22–30–90 | www.ches-cabotans-damiens.com) presents a rare glimpse of the traditional Picardy marionettes, known locally as Chés Cabotans d’Amiens. Free shows are performed (in French), usually on Friday evening and Sunday afternoon (daily in August), with plot synopses printed in English.
BEAUVAIS
56 km (35 mi) south of Amiens via A16, 96 km (60 mi) west of Soissons.
Beauvais and its neighbor Amiens have been rivals since the 13th century, when they locked horns over who could build the bigger