Once serving as the capital of the historic Artois region, Arras is a captivating Flemish city in the Hauts-de-France region. It centres around a Baroque town square lined with gabled buildings while it’s also surrounded by memorials and monuments to the battles of World War I.
Things to do in Arras
Dominating the Place des Heros is the UNESCO-listed Beffroi d’Arras, which offers magnificent views across the city. Originally constructed in 1554, it has been rebuilt twice since, with the current Flamboyant Gothic landmark dating from the 1920s. Admire the magnificent Hôtel de Ville, then join a guided tour to explore the tunnels that lie beneath the square.
Also nearby is the Musee des Beaux Arts, which occupies the monumental Abbey of Saint-Vaast. Originally founded in 667 AD, this Benedictine monastery was suppressed during the French Revolution and later transformed into a hospital and a barracks. Today it houses an impressive collection of paintings by Flemish and Dutch artists from the 16th and 17th centuries, as well as medieval artefacts that include the 13th-century Anges d’Humbert.
On the southern edge of Arras is the Carriere Wellington, which details the 1917 Battle of Arras and the network of tunnels built by New Zealand miners to serve British and Commonwealth forces. To the north of the city is the Canadian National Vimy Memorial, which commemorates the Canadian Expeditionary Force members who died in France and their role in the Battle of Vimy Ridge.
Getting around Arras
Arras is around 45 minutes’ drive from Lille and 2.5 hours from central Paris. Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport is just under two hours away. Trains connect from Paris, Lille and Dunkirk to the Arras railway station and buses travel throughout the city. The centre of Arras is compact enough to explore on foot.