Jules Verne's beginnings in Amiens
Remarkably, more than a century after his death, Jules Verne remains just as famous. His novels are still read by French and even international readers. His secret may lie in the universality of his subjects: travel, imagination, love, courage and determination that characterize his characters. Yet Jules Verne did not travel much, making his imagination and creativity even more admirable. The prolific author wrote most of his work in Amiens, where he lived for over 30 years
What would Amiens be without Jules Verne? A true local pride, the author of Around the World in 80 Days, Journey to the Center of the Earth and Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, who made his readers travel as few authors can, decided to live in Amiens in 1871, with his wife Honorine Deviane, whom he had met a few years earlier. The story of Jules Verne and Amiens is a happy accident. When he went to Amiens for the wedding of a friend, he met the sister of the bride: Honorine, with whom he immediately fell in love! It took them only a few months to get married. At first they settled in Paris, but soon found the city too worldly and noisy. He then discovered the Bay of the Somme and in particular Le Crotoy, where he loved the invigorating air, then Amiens, his wife's home town. The latter then found her family: her two daughters. Both of them enjoyed it and were fully committed to it. The story between Jules Verne and Amiens had only just begun. The people of Amiens later paid tribute to him by naming some of the city's emblematic buildings after him: the Jules Verne Circus, the construction of which he supported as a city councillor at the time, the Université Picardie Jules Verne and, of course, the "maison à la tour". The writer lived in Amiens until his death in 1905.
The "Maison à la Tour": the place of all creations
Located a little behind the city center, the House of Jules Verne makes for a very pleasant visit, even (and especially!) for those who know nothing about his life. In a beautiful building surmounted by a sphere, one can discover with pleasure the life of the couple who moved to Amiens in 1882. Jules Verne, 54 years old, was then at the peak of his career. Located in the new Henriville district - a middle-class neighborhood south of Amiens - the house was a symbol of social success. As you pass through the carriage entrance, you are instantly plunged into the heart of the 19th century. All the rooms in the house pay homage to the work of Jules Verne and the visitor walks - literally - in the footsteps of the heroes that are scattered throughout his work. Visitors will discover a large part of the Piero Gondolo Della Riva collection, acquired in 2000 by Amiens Métropole, which includes nearly 30,000 items. The visit can be done independently, but you can also take advantage of the guided tours organized by the house. Petit Futé especially recommends them! A rich and varied program is offered throughout the year. You will find all the information on the website: amiens.fr
The city councilor's project: the Jules Verne Circus
Close to the house, you will find, on Place Longueville, the Jules Verne Circus. When the author moved to Amiens, the city experienced a surge of modernity with the arrival of the railroad, which Jules Verne could see from his house. He actively supported the construction of the Circus, promoted by the Republican mayor of the time, Frédéric Petit. At the time, Jules Verne was a city councilor and was better known for this position than for his literary work! Jules Verne also mentioned the building in two of his novels: Mathias Sandorf and César Cascabel, written in Amiens in 1883 and 1889 respectively. The plans were entrusted to the architect Émile Ricquier, a former student of Gustave Eiffel. The Circus was inaugurated on June 23, 1889, during the Saint-Jean Fair. Jules Verne gave a speech at the inauguration and spoke of it in these terms: "It is the most beautiful (circus), without question, it is also the most complete in terms of its facilities and equipment that has been built in France and abroad Today, the Cirque is a National Circus Center whose goal is to promote the art of the circus in all its diversity
A beautiful program is offered throughout the year. The Circus also hosts the Jules Verne Circus School, a preparatory training center for higher education. A place of culture with a remarkable history that has evolved with the times
Towards immortality and eternal youth
Suffering from diabetes, Jules Verne died in Amiens on March 24, 1905. His fame, both as a writer and an active member of the Amiens community, attracted more than 5,000 people to his funeral. He was buried in the Madeleine cemetery, a unique place in the city. It is one of the most beautiful romantic cemeteries in France. You walk in the middle of all these souls and secular trees and you are instantly carried by a remarkable calm and serenity. Let yourself be carried away by this atmosphere and you will come across many graves of famous personalities. The most famous and impressive is that of Jules Verne. The tomb is adorned with a sculpture by Albert Roze that represents the writer rising from his grave and stretching his arm towards the sky. The work is entitled Towards Immortality and Eternal Youth. This image of resurrection is quite special to observe
Discover Jules Verne differently with Aronnax, the Jules Verne Trail
On March 24, Amiens Métropole launched Aronnax, the Jules Verne Trail, named after the fictional character who was the hero of the novel Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea. The sixteen-stage route will crisscross the city center through various places dedicated to the imaginative genius of Jules Verne, including the Maison de Jules Verne (of course!) and the City Hall. The Tourist Office will be the last stop on the tour, with an interactive terminal available to the curious!
A true literary, cultural and tourist trail, Aronnax is aimed at lovers of the world of Jules Verne, but also at the curious and at families. You will find, scattered throughout the city, bilingual desks associated with QR codes. You will then have access to immersive videos, quizzes, excerpts from novels read by an actor... and some surprises! You will discover new points of view on the world of the writer in Amiens
The inhabitants of the city have already had a glimpse of this ambitious project with the inauguration, on November 26, of the "Voyages Lumineux". This luminous installation took place in front of the train station, place Alphonse Fiquet. The project was conceived by François Schuiten, a Belgian scenographer, who also created two works for the Maison de Jules Verne: the exterior fresco and the armile sphere at the top of the tower. The landscape designer Thierry Huau was first in charge of dressing the square with a bamboo grove. The spectators then had the surprise and pleasure to see appearing on water screens furtive images of illustrations of Jules Verne's novels (thought by the lighting design studio H. Audibert), accompanied by a background music, created by Bruno Letort. In 2023, this commemorative and artistic project will conclude with the installation of an octopus sculpture created by Pierre Matter. These multidisciplinary works, combining the talent and ingenuity of several artists, pay tribute to the former city councilor who would have undoubtedly voted for this project!
GOOD TIPS
How to get there
By car. Amiens is located 1 hour and 15 minutes from Paris by freeway and is at the crossroads of the A16, which connects Amiens to the Ile-de-France region and to the North Sea ports, and the A29, which now provides connections to Normandy and Eastern France.
By train. Amiens is located 1 hour from Paris. The city benefits from the proximity of a TGV service with the Haute Picardie TGV station (20 minutes away by freeway).
By bus. With the companies Flixbus and BlaBlabus which make a stop at the bus station, in the city center.
When can you come?
All year long, the city offers a rich cultural program. From March 24, 2022, visit the city with Aronnax, the Jules Verne Route. Smartphone in hand, you will discover immersive videos and new contents!
Budget
Many places and monuments in Amiens are free to visit. Guided tours are very reasonably priced. Small budgets will be reassured!
Public
Amiens is a city on a human scale. You can come with your family without fear of crowds or too much traffic. Everyone will find something to enjoy among all the activities offered
For more information
AMIENS METROPOLE TOURISM AND CONVENTION OFFICE - More information on the website
23, place Notre-Dame - BP 11018
80010 Amiens Cedex 1
Tel : 03 22 71 60 50
LA MAISON JULES VERNE
2, rue Charles Dubois
Tel : 03 22 45 45 75
Open from Wednesday to Monday from 10am to 12:30pm and from 2pm to 6pm
Adult : 7,50 €. Child : 4 €
Family (2 adults + 2 children) : 19 €. Times and prices are subject to change during the year
Duration of the visit: 1 hour
LE CIRQUE JULES VERNE - Find the program on the website
Place Longueville
Tel : 03 60 01 02 40
LA MADELEINE CEMETERY
480, rue Saint-Maurice
Free access.
