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Going to Arras |
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Arras is not only an interesting town to visit in its own right
- it's a great centre for touring the battlefields
of Loos, Notre Dame de Lorette, Vimy Ridge and of the
battlefields of the Somme, Arras and Cambrai. |
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| Basics |
| Arras
is a sizeable town, just off the Calais-Paris motorway
and with excellent rail links. Most
people in the tourist spots in the area speak English well,
many fluently. The majority of local people do not. The
currency in use is the Euro. Credit cards are widely accepted
but beware: not all petrol filling stations in France accept
British or American cards. |
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| Getting
there |
| By
car from UK: Arras is a 112 km (just over 1
hour)
drive from Calais. This is by autoroute, which is a
toll road for which you will need some cash. Route
with map. |
| By
car from airport: Arras is a 158 km (around
1 hour 30 mins) drive from Paris Charles de Gaulle airport.
This is by autoroute A1/E15, which is a
toll road for which you will need some cash. |
| By
rail: Arras has a main railway station. Timetables |
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| Staying there |
| There
is a good selection of accommodation in Arras. See
our accommodation guide to the Arras |
| Personal
view: I often choose to stay in Arras if I am visiting
the Somme. It is easy to get to, there are some great hotels
and there is a wide choice of restaurants and bars. I find
it an atmosperic and welcoming town. Don't be put off by
the tower blocks and concrete of some of the suburbs, the
old (reconstructed) town centre is a delight. |
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| Tourist
information |
| The
main tourist office in Arras is situated at the Hôtel
de Ville, Place des Héros. |
| Monday
is closing day: most shops and facilities are closed, at least
for the morning. |
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| Things
to see and do |
| Arras:
British Memorial to the Missing and cemetery at Faubourg
d'Amiens; the reconstructed town centre; the caves and
tunnels ("souterrains") below the town, accessible from
ther Town Hall; tank memorial outside the railway station. |
| Vimy
Ridge :
the huge Canadian Memorial; the tunnels; cemeteries and
memorials. |
| Eating
and drinking: there are a plenty of restaurants,
bars and cafes in Arras, most grouped around the central
squares and the railway station. The larger villages
around have
some too. You will probably need a packed lunch or picnic
when you are out on the battlefields. There are several
supermarkets in Arras. |
| Banks
and ATMs (cash machines) :
in Arras. |
| Battlefield
tour itinerary: There
are many cemeteries, dozens of memorials and
many places of interest in the battlefield area. Itineraries
for 1 day and 3 day tours will be added
to this website soon. |