I keep a fond memory of the weekend we were able to spend in the French city of Arras. Located in the north of France, about two hours from Paris and very close to the border with Belgium, its culture, its art and, especially, its dramatic history caused by the vicissitudes of the Second World War left a very sensitive mark on me.
Arras is known for its labyrinth of underground tunnels, built precisely by the population during the Second World War. Tunnels that were used as shelters from the constant bombardment of German aviation. Later, with the end of the war, these tunnels were used to store food. So they really did make good use of it.
In addition to the guided visits to these underground mazes, Arras is not a very big city, so it can be visited perfectly on foot. There are two beautiful main squares, both surrounded by Flemish-style merchant houses from the XNUMXth and XNUMXth centuries, which reminded me of those commonly seen in many towns and cities in the Netherlands.
One of these squares is the Heroes Square, in which the City Hall building especially dominates. I recommend you visit it, especially because you can go up to its bell tower and have some of the best views of the city. The other is the Grand Place, a square full of cafes and terraces, generally in summer, with bars and restaurants to drink and eat.
But Arras, as we said before, will be a city that, like it or not, many of us will remember for the events of the Second World War. From their Tourist Office they have taken advantage of the situation and they propose you to visit and know battlefields, the war front that was located on the outskirts of the city, the old trenches of the First World War, monuments to the fallen as the Vimi Canadian Ridge...
Perhaps the most exciting visit is the one we make at the Church of Notre Dame de Lorette cemetery. There are more than 120.000 white crosses on a huge expanse of green lawns. Nearby you can visit the La Targette museum, which exhibits a collection of uniforms, weapons and all kinds of military documents from the great world wars.
In the center of Arras you can also visit, speaking of museums, the Museum of Fine Arts, with a rock collection especially of tapestries embroidered in gold and silver during the fourteenth century.
Arras is a small city but with a great history behind it. It is worth visiting for a couple of days and discovering it, right?
Photo Via grahamv