I always find it amusing when I wander into a bar claiming to be Australian yet located in another…read morecountry only to discovered that other than a couple of kangaroo pictures, and maybe a desert scene, there is nothing about it that makes it feel remotely like an Australian pub. Okay, they might have Fosters on tap but the thing is that no Australian in their right mind would ever dream of drinking Fosters, and you certainly can't get it on tap over here. Anyway, this is that sort of bar - pretty grungy and certainly not Australian. No doubt it is named as such due to the Australians fighting in the region, but then again they fought all along the Commonwealth lines. It's an okay bar, a little grungy, but not bad. However, certainly not one I would hurrying back to any time soon.

The first night in Amiens I really didn't have much of an agenda so I simply randomly wandered…read moreabout the place visiting whatever pub I stumbled upon, and this place happened to be one of them. Okay, not strictly a pub, at least not in the sense that we have them here in Australia, but you could call it a bar, or even a cafe. It was okay, and the staff quite friendly. Also, being near one of the open squares, gave it a rather nice location as well. However, while it wasn't a great as some of them I visited, and also a little tacky, it still did its job well.

A little daytrip to Amiens, north of Paris, and we ascertain that the local specialty is La Ficelle…read morePicarde. Wikipedia (should we trust Wikipedia?) says 'its origins appear based in Amiens' l'hôtel du Commerce where a chef developed it in 1950, notwithstanding some legends stating the dish originated in the era of Louis XIV.' I kind of love that you can go to different towns and cities in France and they all claim local specialties which may not be that different than other types of food. On the other hand, we'd never tried this local delicacy. We went to the humble Square Cafe, with a lovely view onto the Place with a gorgeous flowering cherry blossom tree. Spring cometh! They played contemporary music videos, reminding how terrible some of today's music is, and the service was cheery amusing. We asked for a lunch menu, and the waiter said, 'I'm the menu' before he told us what we could order. So, the local specialty is a crêpe, rolled up, with ham and mushrooms, a lovely bit of cheese melted crisply on top, and swimming in cream. What's not to love? It looks like the bar devolves into a raucous drinking hole in the evenings, as there was a Jagermeister dispensing machine, numerous beer specials posted behind the bar, and in front, possibly, patrons from the night before? It was 1pm. They were really drunk. Local food, local flavour, we enjoyed it! In fact, my better half was particularly taken my the Ficelle Picarde. OH MY GOD... was his compliment.

From the owner: God bless My Goodness Pub irlandais au coeur du quartier étudiant , My Goodness est un subtil…read moremélange de convivialité et musique rock. Anglo-saxons et Amiénois s'y retrouvent pour déguster la fameuse Guinness ou assister au tournoi des 6 nations sur écran géant. Les soirées à thème, comme la Saint Patrick, rassemblent tous les amateurs de l'Irish Spirit.

From the owner: Un établissement tendance En centre-ville, non loin des facultés, le Lipstick est l'un des…read moreétablissements amiénois les plus branchés. Il est notamment fréquenté par les étudiants et les jeunes qui n'hésitent pas à venir en groupe et à se déhancher sur une programmation musicale hétéroclite, dans deux salles et deux ambiances différentes.

The Cirque Jules Verne - previously called as the Cirque Municipal - is located just on the…read moreoutskirts of the old city centre. Originally built in 1889 to replace an older wooden structure that was used every year for celebrating the Fair of St. John it was designed by Emile Riquier, a student of Gustave Eiffel and was recently renamed after the world famous Amiens author Jules Verne - who helped inaugurate the building. It's one of the few cirques to survive to the present day, and has been designated a historical monument. It functions now as a sort of multi-purpose performance space - used as circus, convention center, multipurpose theater, it hosts meetings, parties, film screenings, competitions boxing or wrestling, and variety shows. It was recently renovated in 2002-2003 but retains its original look and feel. Since the renovation it offers a full season of circus arts (there's even a circus school!) as well as other live shows and concerts.

From the owner: Inauguré par Jules Verne Le cirque fut construit entre 1887 et 1889, et inauguré par un illustre…read moreconseiller municipal : Jules Verne. Pouvant accueillir 1650 personnes, l'édifice est surplombé par une cheminée néo-renaissance. Les sièges et la piste sont disposés comme à l'origine, et le bâtiment tient aujourd'hui le rôle d'une grande salle de spectacle. Ce lieu abrite le Pôle Régional des Arts du cirque et de la rue.

From the owner: Bar africain Ce petit bar à la décoration d'inspiration africaine est réputé pour son ambiance…read morechaleureuse et ses cocktails à base de rhum. Ce lieu est idéal pour débuter comme il se doit vos soirées du week-end. La musique ne pourar que vous ravir.

From the owner: Dans un décor de théâtre Avec son beau décor de théâtre, la Coupole est un des restaurants amiénois…read moreles plus réputés. Accolée au cirque municipal, l'ancienne "buvette" propose chaque soir un happy hour, et s'anime régulièrement de salons thématiques et de boeufs jazz improvisés. Ce beau bistrot sait donc se faire culturel à ses heures.