Journey Guide

David's journey to Hauts de France

Trip overview

Sat 10 Sep 22

Edinburgh
Lille2 nights
Amiens2 nights
Compiègne2 nights
Edinburgh

Fri 16 Sep 22

Welcome to your Byway Journey Guide! Here, you'll find your accommodation details, travel info and tickets, as well as some recommendations for activities along the way.

If you need to contact us while travelling, you can reach our support team via WhatsApp on +44 7453381789 - we do not offer SMS support. If you need to reach us urgently, call our emergency line on +44 3330916889.

Enjoy the journey!

What's included in your Byway holiday
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City Tax in Europe
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Planning your trip

Some places charge a tourist tax, payable in cash at your hotel. It’s usually a few Euros/Pounds per person per night, but may be higher in major cities. You can check local tax policies online.

Please check opening times for all activities and restaurants, and book in advance wherever available.

Start
Sat 10 Sep 22

Edinburgh

Journey
RAIL
Sat 10 Sep 22
08:00 - 12:46
Edinburgh London
08:00Edinburgh
12:46London
Important information
Take the direct train from Edinburgh Waverley to London Kings Cross. You will need to collect your ticket at Edinburgh Waverley station using the reference 7W9K7NH4.
You will need to collect this ticket using the attached Ticket Booking Confirmation.
See Ticket Booking Confirmation
Journey
RAIL
Sat 10 Sep 22
15:04 - 17:26
London Lille
Make your way to St Pancras International to dart across the channel to Lille; you’ll arrive in a mere hour and a half.
15:04London
17:26Lille
Important information
Take the Eurostar from London St Pancras to Lille-Europe. Eurostar currently requires you to check in 90 minutes before departure. Ticket gates close 30 minutes before departure. Your ticket is attached below.
See ticket
- Stay
- Sat - Mon
- 10 Sep 22 - 12 Sep 22
Lille
2 Nights
The vibrant capital of the Hauts-de-France region has a compact historic centre, easily explored on foot, including colourful 17th-century Flemish townhouses dating back to its time as a merchant centre of French Flanders.
Accommodation
Boa Hotel
17 Pl. des Reignaux, 59000 Lille, France
Check-in
14:00
Check-out
12:00
Arrival directions
Departure directions
If these directions don’t quite look right, please let us know in your WhatsApp support group.
See details
Recommendations
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- Citroen 2CV Tour
  Take a tour in a classic Citroen 2CV and cruise through the streets in the iconic, stylish French car, complete with driver and guide.
  Learn more
- Vieux-Lille
  Take your time strolling through Vieux-Lille, the city's old town district, to admire its cobbled streets and colourful buildings. This is 17th-century French architecture at its best.
  Learn more
- Beffroi de l'Hôtel de Ville
  A UNESCO World Heritage site, the Beffroi de l'Hôtel de Ville is 104m tall with views as far as 40km away on a clear day. If the climb is too much, there's a lift to the top after the first 100 steps.
  Learn more
- Le Quesnoy
  Take a day trip by train into the countryside to visit the small fortified town of Le Quesnoy. There are castle ruins from the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries, fantastic footpaths and a scenic lake where you can swim, kayak and stand-up paddle board.
  Learn more
- La Piscine-Musée d'Art
  A gallery like no other, La Piscine-Musée d'Art invites viewers to explore the series of rotating exhibitions displayed in the beautiful Art Deco structure of a former municipal swimming pool.
  Learn more
- Palais des Beaux Arts
  Head to Palais des Beaux Arts, Lille's municipal museum, to view its excellent collection of fine art, sculpture and historic artefacts. You can take your pick from the series of expertly curated routes and gallery tours available.
  Learn more
Food and Drink in Lille
With Michelin-starred restaurants, strong Flemish influences and iconic pâtisseries, Lille is the perfect place to immerse yourselves in authentic French gastronomy and art de vivre. Local specialities include le welsh (beer-soaked Welsh rarebit) and carbonnade flamande (beef and ale stew).
Read our blog post, Food and drink in Hauts-de-France, to find out more about food in Lille (and elsewhere).
- La Mousse Touch
  Sample craft beers from colourful bottles or ice cold from the tap at the trendy La Mousse Touch micro-brewery. If you're after something to eat, opt for their piled-high charcuterie and cheese board.
  Learn more
See more at this stay
Journey
RAIL
Mon 12 Sep 22
12:53 - 14:12
Lille Amiens
12:53Lille
14:12Amiens
Important information
Take the direct train from Lille Flandres (NOT Lille-Europe) to Amiens. Your tickets are attached below.
See ticket
- Stay
- Mon - Wed
- 12 Sep 22 - 14 Sep 22
Amiens
2 Nights
As the pretty capital of the Picardy region, Amiens is a city known for its art and history. It's also where you'll find the largest cathedral in France, Cathédrale Notre-Dame, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Accommodation
Le Chambre d'Amiens
1 Avenue de l'Hippodrome, 80000 Amiens, France
Check-in
15:00
Check-out
12:00
Arrival directions
Departure directions
If these directions don’t quite look right, please let us know in your WhatsApp support group.
See details
Recommendations
See all
- Notre-Dame Cathedral
  Visit the 800-year-old, UNESCO-listed cathedral (twice the size of Notre-Dame in Paris) where you can climb to the top of the tower and see breathtaking views through the intricate rose window.
  Learn more
- Amiens' Hortillonnages
  Experience the calm and quiet of Amiens’ hortillonnages – a haven of narrow waterways connecting floating islands of cottages and colourful market gardens, cultivated since the middle ages to provide local fruit and vegetables. You can even rent a canoe for a peaceful afternoon paddling through these enchanting floating gardens.
  Learn more
- Amiens Cycle Path
  Hire bikes and cycle the beautiful 63km riverside route to the Bay of the Somme on the north coast. From here, it’s an easy 35-minute return to Amiens on the train, or if you’re a keen cyclist you could cycle back too!
  Learn more
- Canoeing
  Rent a canoe for a peaceful afternoon paddling through the Hortillonnages, Amiens’ enchanting floating gardens.
  Learn more
- Musée de Picardie
  Visit the Musée de Picardie, designed after Napoleon III's Louvre, for a journey from the Paleolithic to present day. The collections include archeology, sculptures, paintings and fine and modern art – it's considered one of the finest museums outside Paris, since opening in 1867.
  Learn more
- International Garden Festival
  Immerse yourself in the web of art installations across the Hortillonnages as part of the International Garden Festival, exploring the intersection between art and natural landscapes.
  Learn more
Food and Drink in Amiens
Surrounded by the kitchen gardens of Picardy, food and drink in Amiens has a distinct emphasis on fresh, local produce. Specialities include regional cheeses such as the semi-soft rollot, locally-reared lamb, and ficelle picarde, a savoury pancake stuffed with ham and mushrooms then baked in the oven with cheese.

Book at one of Michelin’s recommended restaurants or head to the Saint Leu quarter on the water’s edge to find the locals’ favourite bars and restaurants.
Read our blog post, Food and drink in Hauts-de-France, to find out more about food in Amiens (and elsewhere).
See more at this stay
Journey
RAIL
Wed 14 Sep 22
12:29 - 13:42
Amiens Compiègne
From Amiens station, take the direct train south to Compiègne.
12:29Amiens
13:42Compiègne
Important information
Take the direct train from Amiens to Compiègne. Your tickets are attached below.
See ticket
- Stay
- Wed - Fri
- 14 Sep 22 - 16 Sep 22
Compiègne
2 Nights
Compiègne is a laid-back and refined town. It's full of history, palaces, gardens and brilliant forest walks, where you can find the glade in which the 1918 armistice was signed. In town you'll also find a quirky museum that tells the story of how cars shaped the development of 20th-century tourism.
Accommodation
T'aim Hotel Compiègne
70A Pont Neuf, 60280 Margny-lès-Compiègne, France
Check-in
15:00
Check-out
12:00
Arrival directions
Departure directions
If these directions don’t quite look right, please let us know in your WhatsApp support group.
See details
Recommendations
See all
- Towpath to Longueil Annel
  Walk or cycle along the waterside towpath to Longueil-Annel for a peaceful couple of hours by the River Oise. It's 7.5km from Compiègne to Longueil-Annel and you can take the train back, which takes 18 minutes.
  Learn more
- Chateau Pierrefonds
  Step into your own fairytale on a trip through the forest to Pierrefonds, a pretty town and home to the 14th-century chateau built by Louis I of Orléans. The romantic design, complete with traditional drawbridge, ornate decor, towers and spires, is said to have inspired Disney’s Cinderella movie.
  Learn more
- Walking and cycling in the forest
  The thick forest at Compiègne has historically been prime hunting ground and attracted French monarchs to the town even before the 18th century palace was built. It's now home to many walking and cycle paths, including the impressive five-kilometre avenue created by Napoleon I for Empress Joséphine.
  Learn more
- Château de Compiègne
  Explore the luxuriously grand palace and gardens of the breathtaking Château de Compiègne. It was initially built for Louis XV and later restored by Napoleon and it's one of the three palaces that held a seat in the royal government, along with Fontainebleau and Versailles.
  Learn more
Food and Drink in Compiègne
- Crêperie Madame
  Our choice breakfast spot serving classic French Crêpes to suit every palette, as well as fluffy pancakes, waffles and an extensive cocktail menu for the evenings.
  Learn more
- Restaurant Rhizome
  With a selection of several ‘locavore’ set menus, you’ll find only locally sourced food from responsible and organic producers here. You can also buy craft beers and organic wines from their shop to take away.
  Learn more
See more at this stay
Journey
RAIL
Fri 16 Sep 22
11:07 - 11:44
Compiègne Chantilly
Take the direct train route from Compiègne to Chantilly that skirts along the river Oise.
11:07Compiègne
11:44Chantilly
Important information
Take the direct train from Compiègne to Chantilly Gouvieux. Your tickets are attached below.
See ticket
Journey
RAIL
Fri 16 Sep 22
12:50 - 13:15
Chantilly Paris
12:50Chantilly
13:15Paris
Important information
Take the direct train from Chantilly Gouvieux to Paris Gare du Nord. Your tickets are attached below.
See ticket
Journey
RAIL
Fri 16 Sep 22
16:13 - 17:30
Paris London
Make your way to the Gare du Nord to board the Eurostar to London St Pancras. Relax with a book or a film as you travel under the Channel.
16:13Paris
17:30London
Important information
Take the Eurostar from Paris Gare du Nord to London St Pancras. Eurostar currently requires you to check in 90 minutes before departure. Ticket gates close 45 minutes before departure. Your tickets are attached below.
See ticket
Journey
RAIL
Fri 16 Sep 22
18:00 - 22:19
London Edinburgh
18:00London
22:19Edinburgh
Important information
Take the direct train from London Kings Cross to Edinburgh Waverley. You will need to collect this ticket at Edinburgh Waverley before you begin you trip using the reference 7W9K7NH4.
See ticket