Issue No. 25

You could continue on the D940 all the way
to Le Tréport in Normandy where the road
then becomes the D925 and runs around
the coast through Dieppe before reverting
to its original number to reach Le Havre. But
we stayed in Picardy and headed inland to
the city of Amiens where we swapped the
bike for a boat.
Les Hortillonnages is one of the best kept
secrets of France. These watery arteries give
Amiens a unique atmosphere. You really
have a feeling that you are in the most
beautiful countryside right in the centre of a
busy metropolis. The hortillonnages are a
major heritage site - marshland gardens,
cultivated for centuries, created on manmade
islands and on the land which lines the
waterways. In fact the gardens are so old
that no one knows when they began. But,
legend has it that when the city’s Cathedral
was built in the 13th century, it was on a
field of artichokes managed by the gardeners
of the hortillonnages.
All tours are by eco-friendly electric boats
which glide silently across the tranquil
waters. Mark said it made him feel like a kid
again, steering the boat round islands,
stopping off at jetties to look at artworks
dotted around. The only disturbance was the
cooing and calling of birds and the croaking
of frogs, you’d hardly even know you’re in a
city if it wasn’t for the fact that you can see
the spire of the great Gothic cathedral in the
distance.
Amiens is so amazing – it deserves an article
all to itself – see page 56.