Les Hortillonnages d'Amiens, located near the historic centre, are 300 hectares of must-see marshland made up of pretty little floating gardens, formerly all given over to market gardening, surrounded by canals. Some plots are still used for growing fruit and vegetables today. A walk along the old towpath gives a good introduction to the site. But to properly explore these wonderful secret gardens, which often feature delightful little huts and houses, there is nothing like a trip on a traditional hortillonnages boat – the barque à cornet.
Every Saturday morning, the market gardeners from les hortillonnages sell their produce in Place Parmentier square in Amiens. A big festival every June features a traditional market on the water.
