There are cities you visit because they’re famous. There are cities you pass through because they’re on the way to somewhere else. And then there are cities like Amiens, tucked in northern France, that surprise you with how deeply they charm you when you give them the chance. For me, that charm began — and lingered — with food.
I’ve learned that the best way to truly know a place is through what lands on your plate. In Amiens, “market-to-table” isn’t just a trendy phrase; it’s a lifestyle deeply rooted in the city’s history and traditions.
During my stay, I immersed myself in a series of food-related activities — three that I personally experienced and four I researched, recommended, and bookmarked for my next visit. Below, I’ll take you through them in detail: my encounters with fresh markets, hands-on cooking classes, farm visits, as well as restaurants that highlight the bounty of the Somme region. I’ll share my raw impressions, tips for getting there, the costs, the upsides and downsides, and even some booking platforms I used along the way.
My Market-to-Table Foodie Experiences in Amiens
- Shopping and Eating at Les Halles du Beffroi
📍 Location: Place Maurice Vast, 80000 Amiens, France
🕘 Opening Hours: Tuesday–Saturday, 7:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
💶 Prices: Pastries from €1.50, cheese wheels €5–20, coffee €2.50
I always say: if you want to feel the heartbeat of a city, head to its market. So naturally, I started at Les Halles du Beffroi, Amiens’ covered market. The building itself isn’t monumental, but as soon as I walked in, I was enveloped in the smell of fresh bread, roasted chicken, and earthy vegetables.
I stopped at a stall selling ficelle picarde, a local specialty — a savory crêpe filled with ham, mushrooms, and cream, baked with cheese on top. For €4.50, it was warm, comforting, and incredibly rich. Eating it while perched on a stool by the stall felt more authentic than any Michelin star meal could.
I bought a small wedge of maroilles cheese (€6), which the cheesemonger kindly vacuum-sealed for travel, and a bag of fresh strawberries from a farmer who proudly told me they’d been picked that morning from a nearby field.
My Honest Impressions
✔️ The variety is astonishing — everything from seafood to pastries.
✔️ Prices are reasonable compared to Paris.
✔️ The people-watching alone is worth it.
❌ It can get crowded, especially on Saturdays.
❌ Some stalls only accept cash (bring at least €20 in coins and small bills).
Getting there is easy: from Amiens station, it’s a 10-minute walk.
- Cooking Class in Saint-Leu District
📍 Location: Maison de la Culture d’Amiens, 2 Place Léon Gontier
💶 Price: €75 for a 3-hour workshop, including meal
🕘 Schedule: Fridays and Saturdays, advance booking required
After filling my bag at the market, I wanted to learn how locals actually cook with these ingredients. I booked a cooking class hosted by a local chef in the Saint-Leu district.
We began by walking along the canal, picking herbs from small planters maintained by the neighborhood. Back inside the kitchen studio, we prepared poultry from the Somme with roasted root vegetables, using carrots and turnips I recognized from the market.
The chef taught us the importance of “no waste”: carrot tops became pesto, and chicken bones were saved for stock. For dessert, we baked tarte à la rhubarbe, tangy and sweet, paired with a splash of local cider.
Sitting down with the group afterward, tasting the dishes we had cooked together, I felt a sense of belonging — not as a tourist, but as someone who briefly shared in the daily rhythm of Amiens food culture.
My Honest Impressions
✔️ Hands-on and educational — I left with real recipes.
✔️ Small groups (about 8 people), so it felt intimate.
✔️ Wine and dessert were included.
❌ €75 is a bit steep if you’re on a strict budget.
❌ Classes fill up quickly; book at least two weeks in advance on GetYourGuide or Airbnb Experiences.
- Farm-to-Table Dinner at Auberge de Jehan
📍 Location: 7 Rue Flatters, Amiens, France
💶 Prices: Starters €8–12, mains €18–24, tasting menu €45
For my final big foodie experience, I chose to book dinner at Auberge de Jehan, a restaurant known for sourcing directly from farms around the Somme.
I opted for the tasting menu (€45), which featured:
• A starter of roasted beetroot carpaccio with goat cheese from a nearby farm.
• A main course of duck breast with cider glaze, accompanied by seasonal vegetables.
• Dessert: a millefeuille layered with local honey cream.
Each plate was elegant without being pretentious. The waiter explained exactly where each product came from — the duck from a farm 20 kilometers away, the honey from a beekeeper in Picardie.
The service was warm and unhurried, allowing me to sip my wine while gazing out at the cobbled streets of Amiens.
My Honest Impressions
✔️ True farm-to-table dining, with transparency about sourcing.
✔️ Excellent wine pairings (try the Picardie whites).
✔️ Cozy yet elegant setting.
❌ Reservations essential, especially weekends.
❌ Slightly pricier than casual eateries.
Booking was smooth on TheFork.fr, which also gave me a 20% discount for reserving in advance.
Recommended Market-to-Table Experiences in Amiens
While I didn’t get to try all of these myself, I did plenty of research, talked to locals, and even walked by some of them. Here are four activities I’d recommend to any foodie visiting Amiens:
- Floating Gardens Picnic (Hortillonnages)
📍 Location: Rue Roger Allou, Amiens
💶 Boat rental: €15–20 per person for 1 hour
🍴 Picnic baskets: €25–30 per person, pre-order
The Hortillonnages — Amiens’ floating gardens — are legendary. Locals often rent small boats and enjoy picnics on the water. Some services even prepare picnic baskets filled with market goods: bread, cheese, pâté, and cider.
✔️ Peaceful, scenic, and romantic.
✔️ Great way to taste local products in nature.
❌ Weather-dependent — not fun if it rains.
❌ Limited availability in winter.
Booking: through hortillonnages-amiens.fr or local tour offices. - Beer and Cheese Pairing Workshop
📍 Location: Brasserie de la Somme, 40 minutes from Amiens
💶 Price: €25 per person
Northern France has a strong beer tradition. At Brasserie de la Somme, you can learn how to pair local beers with cheeses like maroilles and mimolette.
✔️ Unique alternative to wine tastings.
✔️ Affordable and fun with friends.
❌ Not ideal for non-drinkers.
❌ Requires transport (car or regional bus). - Bread-Baking Workshop at Boulangerie Boulard
📍 Location: 32 Rue des Jacobins, Amiens
💶 Price: €40 for 2 hours
Learn how to bake baguettes and ficelle picarde bread at this family-run bakery. The hands-on experience ends with taking home your own loaf.
✔️ Authentic family atmosphere.
✔️ Great souvenir you literally made yourself.
❌ Only available on weekday mornings.
Booking: call the bakery directly, as online platforms don’t list it. - Regional Market Tour and Wine Tasting
📍 Location: Amiens center, meeting at Place Gambetta
💶 Price: €60 including samples
Guided tours lead you through outdoor markets, ending with a small wine tasting featuring Picardie labels.
✔️ Combines history, walking, and food.
✔️ Perfect introduction for first-time visitors.
❌ On the pricier side compared to exploring on your own.
Booking: through Viator or local tourism board.
Why Amiens is a Foodie’s Dream
My time in Amiens reminded me why I fell in love with food travel in the first place. Here, dining isn’t about chasing the fanciest Michelin stars (though you’ll find those in nearby Paris). It’s about feeling the connection between the soil, the market, the kitchen, and your table.
I came to Amiens curious, but I left moved. Moved by the cheesemonger who insisted I taste before I buy. Moved by the chef who turned carrot tops into something worthy of a Michelin plate. Moved by the farmers who take pride in every strawberry, leek, or duck breast they bring to market.
If you’re a foodie, Amiens offers not just meals but memories you can taste. From bustling markets to quiet canal-side dinners, this city invites you to slow down, savor, and truly experience “market-to-table.”
But beyond the food itself, what touched me most was the hospitality and sincerity of the people. Vendors who remembered me when I returned the next day. Bakers who slipped in an extra croissant “just because.” Restaurant servers who didn’t just list the ingredients but told me the stories behind them. It made me realize that in Amiens, eating is not just nourishment; it’s a cultural act, a way of showing care, and a bridge between strangers.
I can honestly say Amiens ranks among the most underrated culinary cities in France. It’s not flashy, and it doesn’t need to be. Its strength lies in authenticity, in the deep respect for traditions, and in the way it seamlessly blends the old with the new.
So, if you’re planning a trip to France and think only of Paris, I urge you: make time for Amiens. Spend a morning at the markets, an afternoon on the canals, and an evening at a farm-to-table restaurant. Take a cooking class, learn how to bake local bread, sip beer and cheese with the locals — and allow yourself to be surprised.
Travel, at its best, isn’t about checking off boxes. It’s about connection. And Amiens, with its markets, farms, and kitchens, is a city that connects you — to the land, to the food, and most importantly, to the people.
Come hungry, yes. But also come open-hearted. I promise you, Amiens will give you something far more lasting than a full stomach. It will give you stories, friendships, and flavors you’ll dream about long after you’ve left.
