Carrière Wellington
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Arras is located 182 kilometres (113 miles) north of Paris and can be reached in 2 hours by car and in 50 minutes by TGV. It is the historic centre of the former Artois province. Its local speech is characterized as a patois. The city of Arras is well known for its architecture, culture, and history.
- Beffroi d’Arras
- Place Des Héros
- Grand-Place
- Carrière Wellington
- Musée Des Beaux-Arts
- Les Boves
- Art Deco Heritage
- Quartier Des Arts
- First World War Sites
- Citadelle d’Arras
All of the belfries in the historic County of Flanders are listed as UNESCO sites, and that goes for the proud one on Place des Héros. A lift will get you most of the way to a panoramic viewpoint, and after that you have to scale another 40 steps on a metallic spiral stairway for a bird’s eye view 75 metres above the centre of Arras. The belfry is ...
The arcaded square next to the belfry and city hall will tell you that Arras was Flemish for a lot of its history. The rectangular space is laid with cobblestones, and enclosed on three sides by regal gabled houses with arcades on the ground floor. A whopping 52 of the building facades are in France’s inventory of historic monuments. Place des Héro...
Stride down the canyon of arcaded houses on Rue de la Taillerie to Grand-Place, which also looks like it could in the Netherlands of Belgium instead of France. A total of 155 houses in a Hispano-Flemish baroque style surround this magnificent square, and only one stands out from the regimented uniformity . On the south side, at no. 35, the facade i...
In 1917 the Battle of Arras, like many in the First World War, was a British offensive that achieved minor gains at the expense of hundreds of thousands of lives. Preparations for the attack were made in late-1916 when allied engineers dug more than 20 kilometres of underground tunnels that ran from the centre of Arras all the way to the front outs...
Nearly every fine art museum in France owes its existence to the French Revolution, when the government seized precious art from the church and homes of the nobility. Their loss is our gain because museums like this in the sumptuous former Abbey of Saint-Vaast are packed with opulent art. Here in Arras Flemish and Dutch artists from the 16th and 17...
You can do this on a combined day-ticket with Carrière Wellington and the Belfry. Les Boves are the older sections of Arras’ underground tunnel network, first dug as long ago as the 900s. The intention was to link all of the city’s cellars with these tunnels, and it was a pretty easy task as Arras stands on soft chalk. In both World Wars the townsp...
As much as 80% of Arras was razed during the First World War. Where historic monuments were destroyed, like the houses on Grand-Place, the city hall or the Belfry, they were rebuilt brick by brick. But many residential areas were reconstructed in the new styles that followed the war. This goes for the long road south of the centre that starts as Ru...
A couple of streets over from Rue Gambetta is the Hôtel de Guînes on Rue des Jongleurs. This is a magnificent 18th-century mansion that has been converted into a cultural centre and performance venue. You can see what’s on the schedule in the intimate auditorium, be it theatre, music or art installations. You’ll be right at the centre of the Quarti...
North of Arras the countryside bears the scars of the First World War, to the extent that there’s still a red zone with restricted access because of unexploded shells. There are a few interesting and poignant sites to tick off, moments from the city. Closest is the discreet German military cemetery at Saint-Laurent-Blangy, where the Star of David h...
Another UNESCO site, the 17th century citadel is preserved as one of France’s 12 fortifications devised by the military architect Sebastien Prestre Vauban. These were groundbreaking technological marvels that shored up France’s borders . Except for the one in Arras, which is known as La Belle Inutile “The Beautiful Useless One” because it was never...
Looking for a break that is full of surprises for visitors to the Hauts-de-France? Plan your visit to Arras and the Pays d'Artois! Discover a city with 2,000 years of history behind it, a history told by the numerous museums from the Museum of Fine Arts to Cité Nature.
Things to Do in Arras, France: See Tripadvisor's 34,249 traveler reviews and photos of Arras tourist attractions. Find what to do today, this weekend, or in September. We have reviews of the best places to see in Arras. Visit top-rated & must-see attractions.
Arras is a historic town in northern France, rebuilt after the First World War with its original Flemish-style architecture. Explore its old-town centre, cathedral, belfry, museums and gardens, and learn about its role in the war.
Arras is a historic city in northern France with Flemish-style arcaded buildings and subterranean WWI sites. Learn about its attractions, activities and how to plan your trip with a local expert.
Discover Arras and the Artois countries, a region of France with a rich heritage, nature and culture. Find out about events, attractions, activities and accommodation in this beautiful destination.
