One of France’s mightiest Gothic cathedrals is reason enough to visit Amiens, the former capital of Picardy. The mostly pedestrianised city centre, tastefully rebuilt after WWII, is complemented by lovely green spaces along the Somme River. Jules Verne lived the last 34 years of his life here; his former home is now a museum. Some 30,000 students from the Université de Picardie Jules Verne give the town a youthful energy.