Paris to Amiens: Private day trip

Begin at Notre-Dame d'Amiens, France's largest Gothic cathedral and a UNESCO World Heritage masterpiece with the most extensive facade sculpture program in the world featuring over 3,000 carved biblical figures, saints, and scenes from medieval life in extraordinary detail that serves as a stone encyclopedia of medieval knowledge and faith. Walk around the facade to appreciate these stone encyclopedias telling stories from the Old and New Testament in intricate detail that educated medieval populations who could not read, then step inside to experience the soaring 42-meter-high nave with its perfect Gothic proportions and stunning rose windows that create a sense of ascending toward the divine. If visiting in summer, return in the evening for the spectacular 'Chroma' light show that brings the facade to life in brilliant colors, recreating the original medieval polychrome decorations that once adorned all Gothic cathedrals in vivid blues, reds, and golds that transformed these buildings into jeweled visions of heavenly Jerusalem. The cathedral is open Tuesday to Sunday all year, and entry is free. Explore the Saint-Leu quarter, Amiens' Venice-like district, wandering along tree-lined canals with their reflective waters, colorful medieval houses, antique shops, art galleries, and traditional bouchons (authentic local restaurants) serving regional specialties and local beers that reflect the region's position between France and Flanders. Take a guided boat tour through the fascinating hortillonnages—a unique network of floating market gardens on over 300 artificial islands created by centuries of peat extraction that have fed the city for over a thousand years using traditional cultivation methods passed down through generations of market gardeners who maintain this remarkable ecosystem. End your visit browsing the bustling Saturday market and sampling ficelle picarde (delicious ham and mushroom crêpe), famous macarons d'Amiens in rainbow colors that have been made here since the 16th century, and local specialties that reflect the region's culinary traditions influenced by both French and Flemish cooking styles.