Arras

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Arras is found to the south-west end of the Pas de Calais department (and south-west from Lille), in the Nord-Pas de Calais region of northern France. Amiens (and Paris) are south from the town.

Arras is an attractive city built on a deep bed of chalk and limestone that was mined from medieval times to provide the building blocks of homes, workplaces, churches and public buildings. The city refused pointless resistance against the advancing German army in 1914, but when the British won it back and refused to budge it was the start of a bombardment that removed the towering spires and went on to devastate some of the most beautiful Flemish-style squares and buildings in France.

The highlight of Arras is its old-town centre, which has been carefully and attractively restored following the very great damage suffered during the First World War.

There are two large open squares in the town - the larger is the Grand Place and the smaller is the Place des Heros. Both are surrounded by Dutch style houses and mansions above arcades at street level.

It is in the smaller of the two squares that you will find the Town Hall, and the entrance to the belfry, one of the belfries of France that has now been designated as a World Heritage site (the photo above was taken from the belfry viewing platform). After ascending the belfry, and still in the town hall, you can descend into the subterranean world below - rooms and tunnels carved out of the ground below - and learn the history of the region.

The other notable attractions in Arras are the cathedral (18th century and very grey, the cathedral was apparently built on the site of an earlier cathedral which was is said to have been one of the architectural gems of France); and the moving war cemetery and memorial towards the edge of the town.

A fascinating insight into the lives of soldiers in Arras in the First World War is provided by the Carriere Wellington Museum which opened in 2008.

Visit Arras (Nord-Pas-de-Calais, Pas-de-Calais) travel, gites and hotels


Arras Hotels

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