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About the city
Arras is the capital of the Pas-de-Calais department in northern France. The historic center of the Artois region, its local speech is characterized as a Picard dialect. Unlike many French words, the final "s" in the name is pronounced.
City areas
The center of the town is marked by three large squares, the Grande Place, the Place des Héros, and the Petite Place. These are surrounded by buildings largely restored to their pre-World War I conditions. Also there is a network of tunnels which can be accessed from the edge of the town hall.
Attractions
Many of Arras’s most notable structures, including the museum and several government buildings, occupy the site of the old Abbaye de Saint-Vaast. The abbey’s church was demolished and rebuilt in fashionable neoclassical style in 1833, and now serves as the town’s cathedral.
Transportation
The easiest way of getting to Arras is by plane to Lille and from there by TGV. Other easy ways include traveling by car on either the A1 or A26 highways, or by TGV from Paris, London and Brussels.
Events
The events of Arras are very fun and entertaining. The most popular one is the agricultural festival of the windmills, which entertains the audience with the spectacular feat of pole walking.
History & Civilisation
Arras was founded on the hill of Baudimont by the Celtic tribe of the Atrebates, who named it Nemetacum in reference to a nemeton, a sort of sacred grove that probably existed there. It was later renamed Atrebatum by the Romans, under whom it became an important garrison town.
Restaurants & Nightlife
The restaurants of Arras present many types of cuisine, from which the most popular are the Italian ones. Other types of cuisine include traditional French and Provencal.
Arras - Between History and Heritage
Arras is a town of many sides, with a wealth coming from its age as a city and significance as an economical and administrative center of the region. Its buildings give it a distinct feel, and offer visitors many sights from religious monuments to remnants of the World War and previous conflicts in Arras’ history.