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Arras, Prettiest Town in Northern FranceA Historic and Lively Destination for a Weekend Break
Arras certainly justifies such a complimentary description and it makes for an excellent weekend break or even a longer holiday.
Initial SurpriseOn first impressions one could be in Belgium or Holland due to the Flemish influence on the architecture. Many buildings have the tall, narrow frontages and the ornate gables one associates with, say, Amsterdam. The town is centred on two large, linked, cobbled squares (Grand Place and Place des Héros) with tall narrow multi-storey houses with colonnaded arcades at street level. Under the arcades there are lively shops, restaurants and bars. The squares are used for a weekly market (on Saturdays and Wednesdays), fairs and for other events. The speed with which their purpose can be changed is impressive – the market erected in the early morning and by evening replaced with a large stage and sound system for a pop concert. HistoryThe town was almost completely destroyed during World War I but the centre around the squares was rebuilt largely to the same design as before. The Cathedral was also restored and the adjoining former monastery is now the Musée des Beaux Arts. The Battle of Arras in 1917 took place at nearby Vimy Ridge. The battle was one of the turning points of the Great War and marked a major change in tactics and training. The battlefields are a short trip out of Arras and have some of the best preserved trenches in France and the tunnels that served the forward positions are open for guided tours. The Canadian forces have a striking war memorial at Hill 145. A moving and salutary experience. Above and BelowOn the Grand Place there is an impressive gothic Hotel de Ville that shows a prosperous history. It has a bell tower that is open to the public and provides panoramas of the city and the surrounding countryside. Under the town centres are miles of tunnels, “les Boves”, in the chalk bedrock that have long been used for storage of food and wine. In times of war or unrest they were used for defence and shelter. In the Hotel de Ville there are two giant figures, five meters tall, in traditional dress. They form a couple and are used during festivals. Many towns in Northern France and Belgium have similar "geants" and every few years they come together in large combined events. Arras was also the home of Robespierre, the infamous leader of the French Revolution and the “Terror”. His home is close to the squares and contains an exhibition by the town’s craftsmen. Robespierre is only part of a long and varied history of Arras, an excellent start is to take in the Diaporama in the Hotel de Ville with frequent commentaries in English or German. Nearby there are many places to visit and things to do at any time of the year. For more information visit the Office du Tourisme in Place des Héros. Further AfieldArras makes a good base for visiting the battlefields and visitor centre on Vimy Ridge. where there also war cemeteries for all the particpants; Allies and German. They all lost many men in the seventeen months of stalemate and the Battle of Arras. The greatest loses were suffered by the Canadians which are remembered at the striking Canadian War Memorial on Hill 145 overlooking the plain of Artois.
Worth a visit Arras is a pretty and lively modern town. Well worth a weekend or longer break as it is convenient for UK visitors through the tunnel or Channel ports and has good road links across the nearby Belgian border and to The Netherlands. There is an airport at Lille where there are also fast trains between Brussels, Paris and London.
The copyright of the article Arras, Prettiest Town in Northern France in France Travel is owned by Martin P Wilson. Permission to republish Arras, Prettiest Town in Northern France in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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