Champagne & Northern France - Discover France: Experience the Best of France - page 351

Fort du Hackenberg
The largest single Maginot Line bastion in the Metz area was the 1000-man Fort du
Hackenberg ( www.maginot-hackenberg.com ; Veckring; adult/child €8/4; tours in Eng-
lish 2pm Sat & Sun Apr-mid-Nov, 2pm Sat mid-Nov-March) , 30km northeast of Metz,
whose 10km of galleries were designed to be self-sufficient for three months and, in
battle, to fire four tonnes of shells a minute. An electric trolley takes visitors along 4km of
tunnels - always at 12°C - past subterranean installations (kitchen, hospital, electric plant
etc).
Readers have been enthusiastic about the tours ( www.maginot-line.com ) of Fort du
Hackenberg, other Maginot Line sites and Verdun led by Jean-Pascal Speck, an avid am-
ateur historian and owner of the romantic Hôtel L'Horizon ( 03 82 88 53 65;
www.lhorizon.fr ; 5 rte du Crève Coeur; d €98-150) in Thionville. If he's unavailable, he can
put you in touch with other English-speaking guides.

Eating

LE T'CHIOT ZINC €
( 03 22 91 43 79; 18 rue de Noyon; menus €12-26; closed Sun, also closed Mon
Jul & Aug) Inviting, bistro-style decor reminiscent of the belle époque provides a fine
backdrop for the tasty French and Picard cuisine, including fish dishes and caqhuse
(pork in a cream, wine vinegar and onion sauce).

Bistro

Information
Tourist office ( 03 22 71 60 50; www.amiens-tourisme.com ; 40 place Notre Dame;
9.30am-6pm or 6.30pm Mon-Sat, 10am-noon & 2-5pm Sun) Can supply details on the Somme
memorials (including minibus tours) and cultural events.

Getting There & Around

Train
Amiens is an important rail hub. Accessed through a dramatic modern entrance, the
train station offers direct services to Arras (€11, 50 minutes, six to 12 daily), Lille-