This is another wonderful city to walk in my belle France. So many times in Arras, yet not there lately due to the virus syndrome scaring us all. I have plenty written on it in my blog, so will do this one in my black and white series, no pictures. Hope you enjoy my brief walk of Arras!!
And I take you up to Arras do come here on a Wednesday or Saturday to enjoy the wonderful market in the place des Héros with about 250 merchants !
The Grand’Place and the Place des Héros are perpendicular and link by the rue de la Taillerie with 17 square km ! The two squares are bordered with 55 facades of the 17C to 18C and 300 columns , unique in the world ! All rebuilt after the Great War or WWI.
The facades at Place des Héros, and especially the houses with 3 cockerels at no 9, a siren at no 13 and a whale at no 64, On the Grand’Place you see the Maison des Trois Luppars the oldest from the 15C.
Next to the countryside Arras becomes a fairs town, a place of exchanges from the 9C. The city has the biggest cereal market north of Paris and a place for all wines destinations Pays Bas and Belgium, At this period the square Place des Héros also called the Petite Place was bordered with wooden houses and arcades housing shops, taverns, cellars etc as well as a subterranean cave of chalk that can be visited, You can climb the Beffroi or belfry with an elevator lift to see great views of the city, and also entered the cellars.
You go on to the Saint Vaast neighborhood, to see the Hôtel de Ville gothic flamboyant style and a Renaissance facade ! When you take the rue de la Taillerie you see the glorious past of bed sheets in Arras as in the Middle Ages the hall of bed sheets was found here. Move on to the Place Guy-Mollet to the left see at no 4 rue du Marché-au-Filé, the Mont de Piété the first example of gables made of curves and countercurves, A bit further you see the Cathedral Saint Vaast built on the old medieval cathedral with imposing dimensions on a gothic layout and a neo classic decoration, Next to it the former abbey sold as national property in the French revolution that houses today the fine arts museum or Beaux-Arts,22 rue Paul Doumer, the original lion that is mounted on the belfry.
The first belfries were used to sound the alarm and gathered the troops in case of an attack, However, from the 11C, the economic push of the cities and a new class made them serve other purposes such as prisons, keeper of the seal and place of meeting of aldermens, Therefore, to show this economic power, one builds a belfry higher than the next town, Until the construction of the belfry of Lille in 1929, the one in Arras was the highest with 75 meters, and built since 1453 ! , The clock is seen on its four faces to be seen by the entire population, and to show the influence of the church, The sound had meanings, such as Banclocque to call the aldermen to meetings, Effroy yells fire, couvre feu meaning sunrise and sunset , and Guet the monitoring of the city . Today the belfry serves a rallient point of the town where concerts are held like in Arras every Saturday morning,
There are still several mansions in the art déco style by rue Saint Aubert or nearby the Italian inspired Theater.
The city of Arras on its cultural sites : https://www.arras.fr/fr/mes-loisirs/culture
The city of Arras on its heritage : https://www.arras.fr/fr/mes-loisirs/tourisme-patrimoine
The Arras tourist office on must sees : https://www.arraspaysdartois.com/visites-patrimoine/top-10-incontournables-visiter-arras/
There you go folks, another dandy city this time of the north of my belle France. This is Arras , Pas de Calais dept 62 of the region of Hauts de France. Hope you enjoy the brief walk in city center, worth the detour.
And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all!!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 
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