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Things to do in Arras

The city of Arras in France is simply bursting with enough art, culture and history to keep anyone entertained during their break, but you will also feel immediately at home in this destination due to its charming café culture and friendly locals.

You can discover all of the things to do in Arras for yourself by driving just 75 minutes from Calais once you have disembarked from the ferry. It is also a great place to stop if you’re travelling elsewhere in France or into one of its neighbouring countries.

To give you more freedom and peace of mind when you travel with your car why not upgrade to one of our Flexi tickets? Allowing you to take the scenic route home and not have to rush back, our Standard Flexi and Fully Flexi tickets give you greater flexibility to your departure time!

Ready to find out more? Here are just some of the things to do in Arras that are sure to tempt you to visit.

 
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Things to do in Arras

Place des Héros

The Place des Héros is one of two beautiful squares in Arras, the other being the Grand Place, and is home to the city’s stunning Town Hall alongside a number of houses, shops, and restaurants. Some of the houses are replicas of those destroyed in World War 1, but it is very difficult to tell which these are!

A visit to the Town Hall itself is sure to amaze you due to its art deco design, beautiful gold detail, traditional gargoyles, wood carvings, and murals. For amazing views of the city, take a trip up the building’s 75m tall Belfry Tower which will give you a bird’s eye view of the Place des Héros and beyond. 

Below the Town Hall you can discover Les Boves, a network of caves underneath the square which were used for storage by those living in the houses during the 10th century and played an important part during World War 1 too.

Cité Nature

Located in a factory that was once responsible for making miners’ lamps, Cité Nature is a fantastic place to visit if you have an interest in nature, food, health, and agriculture.

With both permanent and temporary exhibitions that are sure to teach you something new no matter how old you are, Cité Nature also offers fun activities for children depending on their age group which means that your little ones will have the opportunity to have even more fun.

This attraction is set in impressive gardens which are home to a wide range of plants, and you can find out all about how each species is grown and what it can be used for. A great experience for anyone with green fingers!

Specialist Museums

Arras is home to a number of specialist museums which will certainly keep you occupied if you want to find out about some of the city’s fascinating history.

For tapestries, historic works of art, sculptures, and a number of collections showing off everything from coins to photographs, head to the Musée des Beaux-Arts where you will find all of these things and more! Located the Benedictine Abbey Saint-Vaast, this museum looks just as amazing from the outside as it does when you are among the artwork.

If you are interested in finding out about the Battle of Arras (1917) you’ll love the Wellington Tunnels which form part of the tunnel network used by soldiers during the war. This museum was opened to remember those who built the tunnels and died in battle and holds plenty of fascinating artefacts and information.

Arras Christmas Market

Should you be lucky enough to be visiting Arras during the festive period you will love its Christmas market which is held in the Grand Place each year. Set against a backdrop of fir trees, the market hosts around 140 different stalls selling everything from decorations to crafts and you can walk around these while enjoying roasted chestnuts or spice bread.

Children and the young-at-heart will love the big wheel, ice skating rink, sledge run, and carousel, and you are guaranteed to feel full of festive cheer after a day here.

To give you more freedom and peace of mind when you travel with your car why not upgrade to one of our Flexi tickets? Allowing you to take your time exploring the Christmas markets and not have to rush back, our Standard Flexi and Fully Flexi tickets give you greater flexibility to your departure time!

Surely it is time to try all of these things to do in Arras for yourself, so why not book your Dover to Calais crossing today and start planning your trip?

Arras is home to a number of specialist museums which are sure to keep you occupied if you want to find out about the city’s fascinating history

Featured Blog Post Historic Places to Visit near Calais

Arras is just one of the great historic places close to Calais that you can visit during your trip. Read our blog post for more options.

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