The Hortillonnages of Amiens are true floating gardens. Located not far from Notre Dame Cathedral, another major site of the city, you can visit them on foot, by bike or by boat. The perfect place for a bucolic break!
The Hortillonnages of Amiens are true floating gardens. Located not far from Notre Dame Cathedral, another major site of the city, you can visit them on foot, by bike or by boat. The perfect place for a bucolic break!
The hortillonnages of Amiens are ancient marshes transformed into gardens, interspersed with canals. The word hortillon comes from the Latin hortellus meaning "little garden."
Built in the Middle Ages, the small plots of land were intended for vegetable cultivation. Grown for about 800 years, the hortillonnages cover 300 hectares and 65 kilometers of canals called "rieux".
Today, a handful of "hortillons" continue the tradition and continue to cultivate these lands.
They sell their products at the water market in the Saint-Leu district, which takes place every Saturday.
The most traditional way to visit the hortillonnages is with a horn boat, which has the distinction of having a flat bottom and raised ends to avoid damaging the banks. The boats are silent and non-polluting, which makes the visit very pleasant while preserving the site and nature. The visits are in small groups and last about forty minutes. Along the water, the boatman/guide will tell you about the history of the hortillonnages during a bucolic and timeless tour.
Note: the International Garden Festival, which takes place every year from June to October, is the perfect opportunity to visit the Hortillonnages of Amiens. For the event, the place is transformed into an open-air museum. During a two-and-a-half hour tour aboard an electric boat, you can go from islet to islet to discover the works of visual artists and young landscapers from all over the world.
To visit the Hortillonages :
Maison des Hortillonnages
54 Boulevard de Beauville
80000 Amiens
Jessica from Comme des Français
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