Visiting the Hortillonnages of Amiens
The Hortillonnages of Amiens are a collection of market gardens woven together by canals, located just steps from the city center. This network of plots, cultivated for centuries, offers a quiet and unconventional escape from the city streets.
Exploring by boat
The best way to experience the area is by boarding a traditional flat-bottomed boat, known as a à cornet. During this roughly one-hour excursion, you will drift slowly along the canals, passing through flowery islets and vegetable patches in a serene setting. Several docks, most notably the one at port à Fumier, offer these boat tours.
Walking paths and natural heritage
If you prefer to stay on land, a walking path starting from parc Saint-Pierre (Saint-Pierre Park) follows a portion of the gardens. This walk is especially pleasant in the spring and summer when the gardens are in full bloom. The Hortillonnages support a rich biodiversity, home to various bird species like grey herons and mallards, alongside a wide range of aquatic vegetation.
Traditional market
Every Saturday morning, the hortillons, or local market gardeners, sell their fresh produce on the quai Bélu (Bélu Quay) in the Saint-Leu neighborhood. This authentic event, known as the water market, maintains a tradition that dates back hundreds of years. It is a prime opportunity to buy locally grown fruits and vegetables and chat with the producers who continue to maintain this unique agricultural heritage in France.
When you arrive in the city, you think of boulevards, asphalt, shops, pedestrians, exhaust fumes...
Yet at platform 9 3/4 of Boulevard Beauville (well, 54 actually...) there is another reality. Unsuspected.
A space where time has committed itself to languor.
So you board the boat.
The lapping of the water calms your heart rate. Your mind gets lost in the winding, shaded waterways.
The light plays between the leaves of the trees...
Scents of humus.
Birdsong.
An immersion into a Monet painting, all your senses awakened...
Along the water, your guide, who is passionate, teaches you a little more about this vast 300 hectare expanse and its ecosystem.