The hortillonnages
The name “Hortillonages” comes from the Latin “hortus", which means "gardens". Visitors can explore a natural and protected environment at the heart of the city of Amiens.
These floating gardens stretch for 300 hectares and are interspersed with 65 km of canals. The market gardeners, called “hortillons", have been producing excellent quality products here for hundreds of years. They call their lands “aires” and the canals “rieux”. Their products were transported in boats with flat bases, called “barques à cornet”, to the “water market” on Place Parmentier in the Saint-Leu district. It is in these boats, today equipped with silent engines, that boat guides will show you this exceptional site.
Every year, on the 3rd Sunday in June, the hortillons, in traditional dress, travel down the Somme in these boats, transporting fruits, flowers and vegetables to the water market.
Boat trip duration : 45 minutes
Price:
€57 per 12-person boat.
Open dayly from 1 April to 31 October
(depending on sailing conditions)
Morning bookings only : Saturdays and Sundays and all through July and August.
Commentary in French by your boatman.