Actually, I didn't go to France for Paris at all. I absolutely had to get to Dunkirk.

On the way, I stopped in Amiens. It seems like an inconspicuous city that nobody really talks about. But dig a little deeper and suddenly you find out that there's a huge Gothic cathedral from the 13th century, Jules Verne spent the last 15-20 years of his life here, a pivotal moment of World War I unfolded near the city, and the Battle of the Somme was one of the most massive and bloody battles in human history.

The skyscraper visible from the train was the tallest building in Europe for 3 years.

Moving on.