Lively yet peaceful, and full of great restaurants with french cuisine, this city halfway between Paris and Calais is home to a host of offbeat sights that make it a charming choice for a romantic weekend break.

A short hop from the Channel ferry ports, Amiens is no ordinary city. At its heart lies France’s largest Gothic cathedral – a UNESCO-listed structure that stuns visitors year-round but that is best viewed at nightfall from mid-June to mid-September and throughout December. During these periods, its main facade with its extraordinary sculptures is illuminated to show the surprisingly bright colours in which it was painted in medieval times. Accompanied by spiritual music, the effect is spellbinding.