Amiens: a journey to the heart of World Heritage in northern France

Most people look only at Paris or Nice - they miss Amiens, a quiet city in northern France that holds a lot of old culture and fine buildings. It sits in the Somme area of Hauts-de-France plus gives history fans and travellers plenty to see.

Amiens Cathedral, the biggest Gothic church in France, became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1981 but also remains the city's best known sight. Builders finished it in the 13th century - the carved front, coloured glass and old relics inside show high skill from the Middle Ages.

A short walk leads to the Saint-Leu quarter. Bright houses line the water, small cafés fill the lanes as well as canals run through the streets. The area mixes old charm with present day life and suits slow walks or photos - some visitors compare it to Venice or Amsterdam.

The Jardin des Plantes, Amiens’ botanical garden, holds rare plants and gives a calm spot for a walk or a book right inside the city.

Tour Perret, one of the first skyscrapers in France, lifts visitors above the roofs for wide views of the cathedral, the canals also the rest of the city.

The Musée de Picardie shows items from ancient times up to 1800s art and tells the long story of the Picardy region.

A boat trip on the canals passes trees next to old houses - guides tell how the city changed through the centuries.

Amiens links strongly to World War I. Battlefields and memorials lie close by, especially along the Somme plus they tell sober facts about the war.

Local food includes Flamiche pie besides Bête de Somme cake and fresh fish but also shellfish that speak for Picardy's kitchen.

Each year Les Rêveries d'Amiens fills the streets with shows and bright lights as well as gives a clear view of how the people here celebrate.