Arras

Day 1: First impressions on les places

Arrive in the heart of Arras and let the Flemish-baroque gables frame your first stroll. Today is about getting your bearings, savouring café culture, and reading the city through its two squares.

• Morning: Start on Place des Héros for an orientation loop under the arcades; arrive a minute before the hour to hear the belfry chimes. Ride the lift and climb the final stairs up the beffroi for 360° views; it’s the best way to understand how the two squares knit together.
• Midday: Settle at a terrace under the arcades for a leisurely lunch; linger is the norm here. Greet staff with a simple “Bonjour, madame/monsieur,” and remember the final s in Arras is silent.
• Afternoon: Cross via Rue de la Taillerie, browsing independent boutiques and a fromagerie-bar, then trace the full perimeter of Grand’Place for architectural details and wide-angle photos. Slip over to quieter corners like Place du Théâtre or Place de la Préfecture for a breather.
• Evening: Dine in an estaminet on a nearby side street (think carbonnade flamande or a welsh) and return to Place des Héros at dusk when façades glow. If you’re driving, exit via the underground car park beneath Grand’Place to avoid circling for street spaces.

Day 2: Underground stories and the art of reconstruction

Today reveals the layers beneath the beauty: chalk quarries turned wartime shelters, and a city rebuilt stone-for-stone after WWI. You’ll also spot the subtle artistry that makes each gable unique.

• Morning: Join a guided tour of the boves from the Tourist Office inside the Hôtel de Ville; bring a light layer as the tunnels are cool year-round. You’ll descend into a hidden world that once sheltered thousands of soldiers before the 1917 offensive.
• Midday: Take a simple brasserie lunch back on the square, then step inside the Hôtel de Ville to appreciate the contrast between its Gothic exterior and handsome interwar interiors. If scaffolding wraps a façade nearby, it’s part of the city’s rolling restoration—worth pausing to see craftspeople at work.
• Afternoon: Walk the “identical reconstruction” story: compare Place des Héros’ intimacy with the monumentality of Grand’Place, and look up at gables for mermaids, wheat sheaves and scrolls. Seek out the older Gothic survivor at 49 Grand’Place to read the squares’ evolution.
• Evening: For a quieter vibe, head back towards Place du Théâtre for dinner and a nightcap. Summer brings long golden hours perfect for photos; in colder months, the moody northern light makes the façades dramatic.

Day 3: Markets, flavours and seasonal sparkle

Your final day is for living like an Arrageois: market shopping, local specialities, and time to simply be on the squares. Build in seasonal moments, whether festive lights in winter or festival buzz in summer.

• Morning: If it’s Saturday (biggest) or Wednesday (smaller), arrive early to the markets on Place des Héros and Grand’Place; follow the longest local queues for the best breads and cheeses. Bring a tote, small notes, and try simple courtesies—smiles go a long way.
• Midday: Picnic with market finds on a bench or choose a hearty plate featuring the local andouillette (late August weekends often feature celebrations around it). Non-market days, graze under the arcades with a bière de garde and people-watch.
• Afternoon: Shop arcaded chocolatiers and indie boutiques, then take one last slow lap under the arcades—you miss half the architecture if you only cross the open cobbles. If you loved the view, pop back up the beffroi for a final look in afternoon light.
• Evening: Summer: join the pre-festival social buzz if you’re in town for early-July’s Main Square Festival (concerts are at the Citadelle, but the squares are the living room). Winter: lose yourself in the Grand’Place Christmas Market—big wheel, skating and vin chaud—going earlier on weekdays to beat the crowds.

By Air

• Lille (LIL): Closest airport. 45–60 min by car. Public transport: airport shuttle to Lille Flandres (20–25 min) then TER to Arras (40–50 min); total 60–90 min.
• Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG): 1h15–1h30 by car via A1. Some direct TGVs from CDG T2 to Arras in about 50–70 min (limited); otherwise RER B to Paris Gare du Nord, then TGV/TER to Arras (total 1h45–2h15).
• Paris Orly (ORY): 1h50–2h15 by car (traffic dependent). Public transport: Orlyval/Orlybus + RER B to Gare du Nord, then TGV/TER to Arras (about 2–2.5h total).
• Beauvais (BVA): Budget flights. About 1h45–2h by car. Public transport via Beauvais–Paris shuttle (Porte Maillot) + Métro/RER to Gare du Nord, then train (roughly 2.5–3.5h total).

By Train

• Main station: Gare d’Arras (central; TGV inOui and TER Hauts-de-France).
• Key journey times:
  • Paris (Gare du Nord): 45–55 min (TGV).
  • Lille Europe: 20–30 min (TGV); Lille Flandres: 40–50 min (TER).
  • CDG T2: 50–70 min (direct TGV on limited services).
  • Lens: 10–15 min (TER); Douai: 15–25 min (TER); Amiens: about 1h (TER).
  • Brussels and London: via Lille Europe (typical total 1h50–2h30 to Brussels; 2h30–3h to London).
• Tickets: SNCF (TGV/TER); Eurostar for London via Lille.

By Car

• Motorways: A1 (Paris–Lille) and A26 (Calais–Reims) intersect near Arras; N25 to Amiens.
• Approximate drive times: Lille 45–55 min; Paris 1h50–2h15; Calais 1h30; Amiens ~1h; Brussels 2–2.5h.
• Parking: Large underground car park beneath the Grand’Place in the city centre.