Grand' Place and other Arras, France Things to Do Tips

Grand-Place

by Mikebond , 2 more photos

Grand' Place is the main square of Arras and clearly show how much Flemish and how little French this town is. Its several houses were built in the typical Flemish baroque style of the 17th and 18th centuries, except one, easy to identify.

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Things To Do: H�tel des Trois Luppars

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Written by Mikebond

on Aug 24, 2007

Hotel des Trois Luppars

by Mikebond , 1 more photos

The oldest house in Grand'Place dates back to 1467. Today, it hosts the H�tel des Trois Luppars.
Guidebooks say it is located at number 49: we looked carefully, but couldn't find it marked anywhere.

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Things To Do: Place des H�ros

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Written by Mikebond

on Aug 26, 2007

Place des H�ros

Place des H�ros is another great example of "Flemishness". It's surrounded by many beautiful houses but the most important buildings are the H�tel de Ville (the town hall) with its beffroi (belfry in English).
Unfortunately, the square is a parking place full of cars that spoil the view you can enjoy from above the belfry.

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Things To Do: The belfry

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Updated by Mikebond

on Nov 5, 2007

beffroi

The Arras belfry was firstly erected in Gothic style by architect Jacques le Caron between 1463 and 1554. It was destroyed in 1914 during World War I and rebuilt in 1924-32. It is 75 metres high and it has a carillon of 40 bells. At the top, you see a golden lion waving a sun, symbol of the King.
I suggest you'd climb the belfry to enjoy a great view over the town. You can buy the tickets at the tourist office, located in the town hall (the building in front of the belfry).
This beffroi was included along with many other French and Belgians belfries in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2005.

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Address: Place des H�ros

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Things To Do: H�tel de Ville

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Written by Mikebond

on Aug 28, 2007

town hall and belfry

The town hall is a 16th-century building in Place des H�ros, surmounted by the belfry. The outside is very beautiful, but you should also have a look at the interior, where is also located the tourist office that sells tickets to climb the belfry and for other guided tours.

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Address: Place des H�ros

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Things To Do: H�tel de Ville - inside

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Written by Mikebond

on Sep 2, 2007

town hall inside

The town hall has a beautiful interior architecture with ogival arches and a polished floor, probably in marble. Going toward the belfry, you will also see a piece of tiled floor (second photo) and a room that was used in the past for alcohol lighting and heating.

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Things To Do: Climbing the belfry

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Updated by Mikebond

on Oct 21, 2007

the bell of the belfry

by Mikebond , 1 more photos

To go to the top of the lift you have to take a lift and then to climb 43 compulsory steps, as they tell you at the tourist office before you buy the ticket.
The ticket costs around 2 euro and it is really worth paying. Once you have arrived at the top of the tower, you will see the bell.

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Things To Do: The top of the belfry

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Written by Mikebond

on Sep 2, 2007

belfry

The top of the beffroi is a lacework of marble! From its balcony you can see the many sculptures that decorate the spire, as well as the golden lion with the sun, that was added on the occasion of King Louis XIV (Le Roi Soleil, the "Sun King") to show the attachment of Arras to the monarchy (?) for fear that the town could lose the privileges it had got in the past.

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Things To Do: Panorama from the belfry

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Written by Mikebond

on Sep 2, 2007

the two squares

From the balcony of the belfry you can enjoy a great view over the town and farther on.
In the first photo you can see Place des H�ros and, on the left, the Grand' Place. The others show different palaces and buildings. On the balustrade of the belfry balcony there are pictures that tell you the name of everything you can see from there.
In the background of the last photo you can see the abbaye de Mont-Saint-Eloi, which was destroyed many times, the last in 1918.

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Things To Do: Abbaye de Saint-Vaast

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Updated by Mikebond

on Sep 9, 2007

Abbaye de Saint-Vaast

by Mikebond , 2 more photos