"Yesterday morning I took a steamboat along the banks of the Somme from Amiens to Abbeville. As I boarded the boat, the sun was rising in a thick mist, in the middle of which stood out the huge silhouette of the cathedral, none of its details visible, just its outline; it was superb… There is nothing prettier than the banks of the Somme. All one can see are trees, meadows, pastures and charming villages. My eyes were bathed in greenery...".

Victor Hugo's description of his trip on a steamboat, in August 1835.

Since then, house-boats have replaced the horse-drawn boats, steamboats and barges on the Somme Canal. And, there is certainly no pleasanter way to explore the valley than to let yourself be carried along to the rhythm of the river, for a weekend or a week.

Which direction to take? Haute Somme or towards the sea? It's your choice… Upriver from Amiens you will discover the Hortillonnages, the Jules Verne viaduct, an amazing feat of architecture, and the eel-ponds. A stop at an inn will give you the opportunity to taste a wide range of river fish specialities: smoked eel, pike with baby vegetables, pikeperch terrine… For nature lovers and history enthusiasts, Péronne offers its "hardines" (gardens on the water) and castle, which is home to the Historial, an outstanding museum of the Great War.

Downriver from Amiens you will stop off at Samara, or Picquigny to take a closer look at its fortified castle. The ponds, all along the river, are great places for walking. After Abbeville, the maritime plain extends right up to the sea. The port of Saint-Valery-sur-Somme rounds off this charming trip along the Somme.

Boat hire
On the Somme, several options are available starting from Amiens, Cappy or Long. General information: DDE, Subdivision Navigation - 2 rue Baillon - 80000 AMIENS - Tel. +33 (0)3 22 71 60 80.

Starting from Cappy :

Lincence free Pénichettes hiring.
Starting from Cappy, on Pénichettes, you'll be able to discover freely the Somme canal, from Péronne to Saint-Valery-sur-Somme, going through Amiens and Abbeville.

Locaboat Holidays Tel : +33 (0) 3 22 76 12 12 or +33 (0)3 86 91 72 72 Fax : +33 (0)3 86 62 42 41 E-mail : info@locaboat.com Website : www.locaboat.com

Pénichette 935 "Couple": between 02/04 and 06/11.
From 375 € per weekend for 2 people depending on time of year.
From 749 to 1316 € per week.
Pénichette 1260R "Terrasse": between 02/04 and 06/11.
From 917 € per weekend for 8/10 people depending on time of year.
From 1834 to 2870 € per week.