Amiens : a textile center - european city guide

Trade / Business:

Location / City:

Company:

News

Delta´s Paperless Check-In

At last, an airline has introduced techn...
more info...

Manic Monday

Monday mornings are torture; only a sadi...
more info...

Olympic Security Measures

As China prepares for next weekÂ’s Openi...
more info...

Talk is Cheap

Ah, the rewards of international busines...
more info...

Food for Flying

Meals inflight have been growing less an...
more info...

A Menu to Remember

Airline memorabilia is well collected, b...
more info...

Qantas Blowout

A few days ago, a Qantas 747 enroute to ...
more info...

E-mail Virus Targets Airlines

Northwest Airlines is among the airlines...
more info...

Welcome to AMIENS
an extra service of European City Guide / ECG
eurocityguide.com - europeancityguide.com

Information about AMIENS Amiens: 109km NW of Reims, 121km N of Paris, 114km SW of Lille Savvy travelers know that this pristine area offers restful alternatives to the tourist meccas of Paris and the Riviera. The landscape of the low-lying region adjacent to Belgium's border will be familiar to admirers of Matisse, who found much inspiration here. Amiens, on the Somme River, has been a textile center since medieval days. Its old town is a warren of jumbled streets and canals. Amiens is renowned for its Gothic cathedral, one of the finest in France. Beyond Amiens and Laon, the heavily forested Ardennes attracts lovers of nature and French poetry alike. Rimbaud lived and wrote here; writers such as Victor Hugo, George Sand, and Alexandre Dumas expounded upon its beauty in their writings. The sandy beaches of Le Touquet-Paris-Plage are the most fashionable and best equipped of the many resorts along the Channel. A textile center since medieval days, Amiens was the ancient capital of Picardy. It sits on the south bank of the Somme, where it is divided into a series of canals and irrigation networks. The old town, a jumble of narrow streets crisscrossed by canals, is run-down and seedy but still worth exploring. The city's focal point is its world-famous Gothic cathedral, one of France's finest. Originally a Gallo-Roman town, it was an episcopal see from the 4th cent. The historic capital of Picardy, it was overrun and occupied by many invaders. It was conquered by Henry IV in 1597. There, in 1802, the Treaty of Amiens was signed. It was severely devastated in both World Wars and has been rebuilt since 1945, largely in the medieval style. Of interest is the Cathedral of Notre Dame (begun c.1220), the largest Gothic cathedral in France. It is 470 ft (143 m) long and has a nave 140 ft (43 m) high; the transept dates from the 14th cent.; the spire (370 ft/113 m high) and the large rose window were added in the 16th cent.

Available Trades in AMIENS ADVERTISING, MARKETING, COMMUNICATION
AGRICULTURE, FLORICULTURE, HORTICULTURE, PISCICULT
ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE & SUPPLIERS
ARCHITECTS, DESIGNERS, ENGINEERS, SURVEYORS
ART, HANDICRAFT, ANTIQUES
ASSOCIATIONS, ORGANISATIONS
AUDIO-VIDEO, SUPPLIES & SERVICES
AUTOMOTIVE SUPPLIES
BAKERIES & CONFECTIONERS
BANKING & FINANCING, INSURANCE
CHEMICALS & PHARMACEUTICALS
CIVIC CENTRES, LIBRARIES, ARCHIVES
CONSTRUCTION & MATERIAL
COSMETICS, BODY CARE, HAIRDRESSING
EDUCATION, SCHOOLS & ACADEMIC TRAINING
ELECTRONICS, ELECTROTECHNICS
ENVIRONMENT & RECYCLING
FOOD, BEVERAGES, NEWSAGENT
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS
JEWELLERS, WATCHMAKERS, OPTICIANS
LEGAL SERVICES
LIVESTOCK, PETS, VETERINARIANS, EQUIPMENT & SERVIC
MANAGEMENT & CONSULTING, ACCOUNTING SERVICES
MECHANICS, HYDRAULICS, PNEUMATICS
MEDICINE, AUXILIARY MEDICINE & MEDICAL EQUIPMENT
OFFICE SUPPLIES, OFFICE SERVICES, COPY CENTRES
PUBLIC TRANSPORT, TAXIS, AMBULANCES, CHAUFFEURS
RESIDENTIAL HOMES & CARE SERVICES
SALES & SERVICES
SCIENCE, INVESTIGATION, RESEARCH
SERVICES & AGENCIES
SPORTS, LEISURE & HEALTH
TEXTILES, LEATHER, FURS - CLOTHING, ACCESSORIES, E
VEHICLES, MOTORCYCLES, CYCLES - SALES & SERVICES

FRANCE

General Information
Capital: Paris
Area: 547,030 km²
Population: 59,765,983
Electricity: 220V
IDD: +33
Emergency number: 17
Timezone: GMT +1 Hr (+2 Hrs MAR-OCT)

Language
Language: French, Local Dialects

Government
Government: Republic

Religion
Religion: Roman Catholic, Protestant, Jewish and Muslim

Health
Health: Tetanus-Diphtheria, Meningococcal Meningitis, Hepatitis B and FSME/RSSE

Currency
Currency: Euro (EUR) 1.00 = 100 Cents

Exchange Rate
Exchange Rate: EUR 1.00 = USD 1.05 = GBP 0.66 = CHF 1.46

Business Hours
Business Hours: Mon-Fri: 09.00-12.00 and 14.00-18.00

Speed Limit
Speed Limit: Cities: 50 km/h, Outside Cities: 90 km/h, Dual carriageways: 110 km/h, Motorways: 130 km/h

Traffic
Traffic: Traffic drives on the right. Minimum age 18 years. Wearing of seat belts is compulsory in front and back seats.

Driving License
Driving License: National license

National Holidays
National holidays: Jan 1 New Year's Day, Easter Monday (variable), Ascension Day (variable), Pentecost Monday (variable), Jul 14 Bastille Day, Nov 11 All Saints' Day, Nov 11 Armistice Day, Dec 25 Christmas Day

Climate
Climate: Generally cool winters and mild summers, but mild winters and hot summers along the Mediterranean; occasional strong, cold, dry, north-to-northwesterly wind known as mistral.

Temperatures
Temperatures:

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
A	3	4	7	10	14	17	19	19	16	11	7	4
P	17	14	12	13	13	12	12	13	13	14	15	16
S	64	83	152	185	223	233	231	204	166	122	63	53

A = Av. Daily Temp.(°C)
P = Daily Precipitation (mm)
S = Sunshine (Hrs/Month)

Mobile Network
Mobile Network: GSM 900 / 1800

GPS
GPS: 46 00 N, 2 00 E

Shopping Hours
Shopping Hours: Department stores are open 09.00-20.00. Most shops are closed between 12.00 and 14.30. Food shops are open 07.00-19.00/19.30. Some food shops (particulary bakers) are open Sunday mornings, in which case they will probably be closed on Monday. Many shops are closed all day or half-day Monday. Hypermarkets are normally open from 9.00 to 19.00/20.00, sometimes until 21.00 or 22.00.

Converter