Heads up: Opening hours and train times below come from public listings and may change. Always check the official sites before you go (links at the bottom of this page).
The plan
Friday 4 Dec · Arrive in Amiens
- Morning: Cross with LeShuttle (see the Travel tab).
- Late morning: Stop at Carrefour & Cité Europe in Coquelles, about 5 minutes' drive from the terminal. Stock up on wine, cheese and snacks, and grab lunch there (the Cité Europe food area has about twenty restaurants).
- Early afternoon: Drive to Amiens (about 1h30 to 2h) and settle in at the Airbnb.
- Wander the market route from Place René Goblet to Place de l'Hôtel de Ville, about 2 km of chalets.
- Dinner: see Friday dinner below. Or eat from the market stalls (see the Amiens tab).
- 7:00 pm: Chroma light show on Notre-Dame cathedral. Free, about 50 minutes.
Saturday 5 Dec · Day trip to Arras by train
- Direct regional train (TER) Amiens → Arras, about 40 minutes. Roughly hourly, mostly leaving on the half hour or the hour. Check SNCF Connect for the exact Saturday times.
- Arras Christmas market on the Grand'Place and Place des Héros, with a big wheel and ice rink. Free entry.
- Climb the belfry, go underground in the Boves, or visit the Wellington Quarry (see the Arras tab).
- Aim for a train back around 5:30 pm so you reach Amiens for the 7:00 pm Chroma show. Fridays and Saturdays are busy, so buy tickets in advance if you can.
Sunday 6 Dec · Amiens and home
- Last wander round the market and any stalls you missed (use search on the Amiens tab).
- Visit the cathedral in daylight. It is the largest Gothic cathedral in France.
- Souvenirs: Trogneux (chalet 12) has Amiens gifts, and Jean Trogneux (chalet 28) has the famous macarons and chocolates.
- Head home with LeShuttle (see the Travel tab).
Friday dinner
Options to check
- Les Orfèvres: Well-reviewed fine dining near the cathedral. Pricey, so book early.
- L'Échanson (French) and Corso (Italian): listed on Accor's restaurant site, with booking links.
- Rue Cormont beside the cathedral has small bistros with outdoor tables and indoor dining.
- Market stalls: Tartiflette, raclette sandwiches, waffles, Alsatian dishes. No booking needed (see the Amiens tab).
Friday night in market season is busy. If you want a sit-down meal, book ahead. Use the Phrases tab for booking by phone or in person.
Handy to know
- Market hours (Amiens): Roughly 11am to 8pm, later (about 9pm) on Fridays and Saturdays. Sources differ, so check before you go.
- Crowds: Weekends are very busy. Mornings and early afternoons are calmer.
- Payment: Many stalls take cards, but it's worth carrying some euros for small stalls.
- Weather: December in northern France is cold and damp. Wear layers and comfy shoes. Cobbles in Arras can be slippery.
- Money-saver: Amiens market and the cathedral light show are free.
- Not speaking French? Use the Phrases tab. Tap a phrase to show it full screen to a stallholder.
Amiens Christmas Market
20 Nov – 30 Dec 2026 · Free entry · 100+ red chalets along about 2 km of lit paths, from Place René Goblet to Place de l'Hôtel de Ville. Run by Amiens downtown merchants since 1997. A free official app shows the chalet map and walking times.
These are the chalets listed on the official exhibitor page (the market has 100+ in total, so a few may be missing). Some chalets have no name on the page. Chalet numbers are the way to find them.
Map
Pin positions are approximate. Tap a pin, then Directions, to open exact walking directions in Google Maps. Individual chalets aren't pinned, so use the chalet number on the Amiens tab, or the free official market app.
Arras
Christmas market (“Ville de Noël”)
- Dates: 27 Nov – 27 Dec 2026 (one source says it opens 28 Nov). Open on your dates either way.
- Where: Grand'Place and Place des Héros.
- Entry: Free. Some attractions, such as the ice rink, are paid.
- Last year's stall count: nearly 150 chalets. The 2026 programme isn't published yet.
- Getting there: The station is under 10 minutes' walk from the squares.
Things to see
Grand'Place & Place des Héros
Two huge cobbled squares with Flemish-style gabled houses, dating back about 1,000 years. Rebuilt after WWI.
Two huge cobbled squares with Flemish-style gabled houses, dating back about 1,000 years. Rebuilt after WWI.
Belfry (Beffroi) & Town Hall
UNESCO-listed belfry with views over the city. The Gothic town hall (Hôtel de Ville) sits on the Place des Héros.
UNESCO-listed belfry with views over the city. The Gothic town hall (Hôtel de Ville) sits on the Place des Héros.
Les Boves
Medieval chalk quarries and tunnels about 12 m under the squares. Guided visits.
Medieval chalk quarries and tunnels about 12 m under the squares. Guided visits.
Carrière Wellington (Wellington Quarry)
WWI tunnels dug by New Zealand miners, where up to 24,000 soldiers sheltered before the April 1917 Battle of Arras. A memorial and museum on the southern side of town, about 700 m from the station.
WWI tunnels dug by New Zealand miners, where up to 24,000 soldiers sheltered before the April 1917 Battle of Arras. A memorial and museum on the southern side of town, about 700 m from the station.
Cathedral & Citadel
Cathedral of Notre-Dame and Saint-Vaast next to the Fine Arts Museum (the museum is closed for renovation). The 17th-century citadel is a longer walk.
Cathedral of Notre-Dame and Saint-Vaast next to the Fine Arts Museum (the museum is closed for renovation). The 17th-century citadel is a longer walk.
Getting back to Amiens
Direct TER trains run most of the day, about 40 minutes. For the 7:00 pm Amiens light show, aim to leave Arras by about 5:30 pm. Check times on SNCF Connect.
LeShuttle (Channel crossing)
LeShuttle is the car train: you drive onto it and stay in your vehicle. It runs Folkestone (UK) to Calais (France).
How it works
- Crossing time: About 35 minutes. Departures run up to four times an hour.
- Check-in: At least 1 hour and no more than 2 hours before your booked departure time. You'll need your booking reference and the card used to pay.
- Boarding: Starts about 25 minutes before departure. Watch the blue screens and follow the green arrows to your lane.
- Folkestone: Leave the M20 at Junction 11a and follow signs to check-in.
- Passports: Border checks (UK exit and French entry) happen before you board, so you drive straight off in Calais.
- Before you go: Everyone must have their Advance Passenger Information (API) completed, at least 24 hours before travel.
- EES: UK passport holders need to register for the EU Entry/Exit System, done at the terminal after check-in. The first time can add a wait.
- Miss your slot? You may be offered the next departure with space, or have to buy a new ticket.
Friday stop: Carrefour & Cité Europe
- Where: 1001 Boulevard du Kent, Coquelles. About 5 minutes' drive from the LeShuttle terminal. Follow the signs for Cité Europe as you leave.
- Carrefour hours: Roughly 8:30am to 9pm, Monday to Saturday. Sources differ by 30 minutes, so check. On Sundays it's open mornings only (to about 12:30pm), which could suit a stop on the way home.
- Other shops: Usually 10am to 8pm (9pm on Fridays).
- Parking: Free, with about 4,200 spaces.
- Paying: Cards (including contactless) are fine. Cash is banknotes only.
- Tax-free shopping: Carrefour has a tax-free (VAT refund) service for spending over €100. Ask at customer service and bring your passports.
- Buy here: Wine, beer, cheese, bread, chocolates. There's a 24-hour petrol station too.
Calais to Amiens by car
- About 155 km. Allow roughly 1h30 to 2h depending on traffic and route.
- Take the A16 south toward Amiens. It's a toll road in places, so keep a card handy.
- Amiens has underground car parks near the market, such as Parking des 3 Cailloux and Parking du Perret. If your Airbnb has parking, leave the car there and walk.
Tip: Plan to be at the Calais terminal on the way home with time to spare. It's about 1h30 to 2h from Amiens, then check-in 1 to 2 hours before your crossing.
Train: Amiens → Arras (Saturday)
- Direct regional trains (TER). Up to about 21 a day, from early morning to around 9pm.
- Journey: usually 36 to 41 minutes. Some slower stopping trains take about 52 minutes.
- Saturday timetables can differ from weekdays, so check the exact times.
- Tickets can be refunded or cancelled up to the day before travel.
- Aim to be back on a train from Arras around 5:30pm for the 7pm Amiens light show.
Train times: These buttons open live departures for the day you choose. (Live bus times are in the next section.)
Amiens → Arras (live, Google Maps)
Arras → Amiens (live)
SNCF Connect timetable
TER Hauts-de-France
Buses around Amiens
Live bus times need the hosted version of this site.
- Network: Ametis runs the buses in Amiens.
- Saturday: Buses have been free on Saturdays during the Christmas market. That was the case last year, so check it still applies on 5 Dec.
- Other days: A 24-hour group ticket for 2 to 5 people was €6.40 last year.
- Parking: There are free park-and-ride car parks (Némo) with bus links to the centre.
- Live buses: Use the live board above. If it won't load, Google Maps transit directions also show real-time departures.
Useful French
Tip: Tap any phrase to show it full screen to the person you're talking to.
Food allergies & diets
Tap to show a stallholder. Always double-check ingredients with the vendor.
Emergency numbers
- 112 – general emergency (works across Europe)
- 15 – ambulance (SAMU)
- 17 – police
- 18 – fire brigade