Amiens



Amiens is the capital of Picardy. With pratically 136 600 inhabitants, the main city of Picardy (a region situated in the north of France) is historically and culturally rich and attractive regroups many students as well. The couchsurfing community is increasing and being developed. Today, we could count around 70 actives couchsurfers in the city the metropole of Amiens count even more Couchsurfers (Cs) around. Consequently, it is usually simple to find a couchsurfer who to host you,to show you the city around or for a drink or an event!

Meetings
There is a regular meeting between CS members and friends on Mondays, 8.30 p.m., at the Bissap, rue St Leu, a student neighbourhood. Furthermore, it is possible to participate to some special events or meetings. The meeting list is only accessible to the cs members or to the people registered in the Amiens' group. Check the List of the CS Meetings.

CS group in Amiens
The CS members in Amiens have an active group where the CS can subscribe to see any news or inform the other Cs from Amiens about anything. It can be informations relating some events, organisations, or to help a couchsurfer finding a couch in the city. Link to the CS Group of Amiens

The Cs members are also active around the city.

CouchSurfers
There are many couchsurfers who can host you. There is even a special Kitchen Party group for the ones fond of cooking and eating! Some others Cs members located in Amiens, can join you for a drink, a chat, or a visit around the city. To contact couchsurfers, it is needed to join the couchsurfing project. Then, it is possible to see the list of Csers living in Amiens on http://www.couchsurfing.org/ check http://www.couchsurfing.com/mapsurf.html

Meeting Organisers
Any one, even you, your journey is one of the reasons for a CS meeting, as talking foreign languages, sharing food, going out, watching a movie...

Coffee or a drink
Cs members who would be glad to join you for a coffee or a drink in Amiens if the city is on your way. In order to be part of this family, you need to become a member, then you'll be able to search for couchsurfers! (the registration will take about a week) chose your options, select : France- Picardy- Amiens, and click on "list surfers on next page".

Presentation of Amiens
If you are interested about the history of Amiens or what to see, you can find a page on wikipedia here.

What to do in the Main City of the Picardie ?
To have a simple look on what to visit in Amiens, just check the Map of the City of Amiens.

Amiens and Picardy's spirit
Travelling an area will never show you the complete face of it. The photo on the right gives an idea of one of the face: Couchsurfing, Hitch Hiking, Meeting people help, but details can help :

1- In the stats, Northern France (Picardy + Nord) is the higher rate of alcoholism, within it Amiens is just at the national average for medium student city. Alcoholism follows the line of unemployment, Picardy's economy is mainly about agriculture : Beetroot (for sugar), potatoes. Cattles are in the west (Bay the Somme). Large industries are still in but, as elsewhere, they tend to go away.

2- Health : Amiens, main city of Picardy got everything needed. The first complete face transplant some years ago happened here. But for a larger population: as Alcoholism follows unemployment, cancers follow alcohol.

3- Education : Worst results of France at the A Level are shared between Corsica and ... Picardy but at Uni the level is good : as many places Medical, economy and Law are a priority, but Sociology is getting reknown as well.

4- Sport : Amiens is mainly about Ice-Hockey with its team called " Les Gothiques". Usually one of the best team of France with Rouen and Grenoble, in 2011-2012 the team didn't do what was expected from her. But in 2011 two of the Amiens' swimmers became world champions. In rowing Picardy is usually good. But far from all those entertainments, the first sport in Picardy is hunting. If wild boars and deers have better to hide themselves the main targets of Picardy hunters are birds. Here that's the hunters who hide themselves in huts around pounds and rivers (from Peronne to Baie de Somme via Amiens and Abbeville).

5-environment : Amiens has developped a large pedestrian area and tracks for bikes. there are 2 mains park : La Hotoie and St Pierre where birds like to live. Both park are irrigated by natural rivers. Amiens has dedelopped on either banks of the Somme River. So it results that you can cross the city from west to East along the river and mostly with no car to interfere. East Side, the hortillonages are specifics to Amiens. They are "floating gardens", created by roman they used to, in Middle Age, to feed, roughly, the northern part of Europe. These days there are mainly private garden while four allotment still sell their vegetables at the St Leu Market on saturday mornings. To visit the area a boat is most needed, following which CS members will host you, you may have a more or less nice sightseeing. Natural zones are getting more protection these days around Amiens

How to come to Amiens</FONT>

 * By Car: 1h30from Paris, 1h15 from Lille, 1h20 from Rouen, 40 min from Beauvais and its airport (it's Paris airport for many cheap fly), 15 min from Villers-Bretonneux and its Australian and New-Zealand memorial for WWI (ANZAC day on 25th April).


 * By Carpooling: You can find a driver or passenger to share the ride and cut on travel cost. In France carpooling is very popular and is called "covoiturage". Try Covoiturage.fr to get to Amiens.


 * By Train: The main train in Picardy is Paris-Amiens = 1h05 (if stop at Longeau) or 1h30 if more stops (Creil, St Just, Clermont) (no TGV, fast trains, only trains called "TER" or "Intercités"), you will arrive in Amiens' city center. But WARNING if you take the TGV (fast train in France), you won't stop in Amiens but in a train station 45 min away called "Gare TGV Haute-Picardie" where coaches are available for Amiens.

In case of Emergency



 * Police Station: 03 22 71 53 00 or 17
 * Health Urgency: 15 or 112
 * Hospital: 03 22 66 80 00 or 15
 * Fireman Station:03 22 71 34 34 or 18
 * Emergency Doctor: 03 22 52 00 00 or 15

Local Media Mentions</FONT>






hitch:Amiens