🏰🌊 Solo Stroll Through Floating Gardens & Gothic Grandeur: Amiens – Picardy’s Hidden Gem

#holidayitinerary #soloinfrance For solo travelers craving canals, cathedral shadows, and Jules Verne’s whimsy, this northern French city offers: Why Solo? ✔ Hortillonnages Magic – Glide alone in a rented electric boat through water-laced gardens ✔ Cathedral Solitude – Europe’s tallest Gothic nave (42m!) with few tourists ✔ Literary Secrets – Jules Verne’s eccentric mansion-turned-museum Must-Do Solo Experiences ⛪ Amiens Cathedral · Find the labyrinth in the nave floor · Climb the north tower for city views (300 steps, €7) · Nighttime chroma show (summer evenings) 🚤 Hortillonnages Boat Tour · 1hr eco-electric ride through 300ha of floating plots · Spot herons and secret garden cabanons 📚 Jules Verne’s House · See his hot-air balloon desk · Marvel at the astronomical tower he added Perfect Solo Day 🌅 Morning · Croissant at Les Tartes de Franck · Cathedral exploring before 10AM crowds ☀️ Midday · Self-drive boat from Port à Fumier (€12/45min) · Picnic with ficelle picarde (local ham-crepe rolls) 🌇 Evening · Sunset walk along Quai Bélu’s bookshops · Craft beer at Le Quai microbrewery Pro Tips: ✔ Thursday/Saturday – Saint-Leu market days ✔ First Sunday – Free museum entries ✔ Amiens Pass – 24hr transit + sights (€18) Hidden Gem: Saint-Leu’s street art – especially the Jules Verne mural Did You Know? The Hortillonnages have been farmed since Roman times! Solo Splurge: Dinner at Les Marissons – Michelin-starred canalside dining Getting There: · From Paris: 1hr TGV from Gare du Nord · By Car: A16 motorway (free parking at Parc Saint-Pierre) Perfect For: A peaceful 24-48 hour solo interlude. That moment when cathedral light filters through 13th-century stained glass? Pure poetry. ✨ #solotravelfrance ⚠️ Note: Hortillonnages close Nov-March – but winter cathedral concerts are magical Want me to suggest other underrated northern French cities? 😊