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Voykit pocket guide · France
Arras
Spend a half‑day in Arras: walk the squares, climb the belfry, and peek the underground Boves; add a quick Vimy Memorial trip if time permits.
Arras is a compact historic town in Hauts‑de‑France. Its two grand squares, 77 m belfry and WWI underground sites fit into a half‑day walk. A short train ride reaches the Canadian Vimy Memorial for a full‑day add‑on.
- Country
- France
- Best months
- Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (heat, occasional closures)
- Stay
- 0.5 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- EUR
- Money
- Currency is the euro (EUR, €). Contactless cards work in most shops, cafés and restaurants.
- Daily spend
- Budget €30–50 excl. bed · Mid €60–100 excl. bed · High €120+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Orange, SFR, Bouygues Télécom and Free sell prepaid SIMs in their shops and at tabacs; ID is required to register.
- Emergency
- Police 17 · Ambulance / SAMU 15 · Fire 18
- Plugs
- Types C, E · 230 V · 50 Hz · Round two-pin plugs; type E sockets have an earth pin sticking out, so Schuko (type F) plugs need a C/E hybrid or an adapter.
- Tipping
- Café or bar: Leave small change, €0.20–1.; Restaurant: Service is included; leave 5–10% in cash for good service.; Taxi: Round up to the next euro or two.; Hotel porter or housekeeping: €1–2 per bag or per night.; Tour guide: €5–10 per person for a half day, more for private guides.
- Water
- Tap water is safe everywhere unless signed otherwise. Restaurants must serve a free carafe of tap water on request.
- Toilets
- Paris has free automatic public toilets (sanisettes); elsewhere use cafés (buy a coffee), museums and stations, where some charge €0.50–1.
Get in
By air
- LIL · Lille Airport
- ≈45 km (28 mi) north‑east, shuttle or train to Arras about 1 h≈28 mi (45 km) north‑east, shuttle or train to Arras about 1 h
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Language, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Walking covers the main sights; the free yellow "Ma Citadine" bus runs every 10 min on two lines to reach the belfry, museum and train station.
See and do
Known for
- Grand' Place and Place des Héros squares
- Belfry (77 m, UNESCO belfry site)
- Les Boves underground chambers
- Wellington Quarry (WWI tunnels)
- Musée des Beaux‑Arts d'Arras
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Canadian National Vimy Memorial | SNCF regional train from Arras to Bapaume (≈30 min), then bus or taxi 10 min to memorial site | ≈1 h 30 min total |
Sleep
- City centre
- Close to Grand' Place, belfry and bus stop; ideal for walking visitors.
Language
French is the language of daily life. In Paris hotels, museums and restaurants near sights, English works; in rural France it thins quickly. A greeting in French (bonjour, merci, s'il vous plaît) matters more than fluency, and many people switch to English once you have tried.
- Use 'vous' with anyone you do not know; 'tu' is for friends, children and people who invite you to use it.
- Regional languages survive: Breton, Alsatian, Occitan, Basque and Corsican appear on signs and in names.
- Numbers from 70 to 99 are built by addition (soixante-dix = 60+10); check prices in writing.
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Say 'bonjour madame/monsieur' on entering any shop, bus or office; avoid: Asking a question before saying bonjour — it is read as rude
- Cheek kisses (la bise): Follow the other person's lead; one to four kisses depending on region; avoid: Initiating la bise with strangers or in business
- Addressing people: Use 'vous' and titles until invited otherwise; avoid: First names and 'tu' with older people or staff
- Restaurants: Wait to be seated in restaurants; call the waiter 'monsieur' or 'madame'; avoid: 'Garçon', snapping fingers, asking for the bill before you are finished
- Conversation: Debate is a pleasure; food, politics and philosophy are fair game; avoid: Asking about salary or religion; loud voices on trains
- Dinner at a home: Bring flowers (not chrysanthemums), chocolates or a good bottle; arrive 10–15 minutes late; avoid: Cutting the tip off a cheese wedge or asking for ketchup
- Dress: Smart-casual in cities; covered shoulders in churches; avoid: Beachwear in town centres
Scams and watch-outs
- Wellington Quarry tickets are €6.60 adult, €3 reduced; check opening days (closed 1 Jan, 3 weeks after Christmas, late June and 25 Dec).
- Boves tours run limited times; verify schedule before visiting.
Arras is generally safe; stay alert on streets after dark and keep an eye on personal belongings in crowded squares.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Arras yet. Suggested stay: 0.5 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Grand' Place and Place des Héros squares
- Belfry (77 m, UNESCO belfry site)
- Les Boves underground chambers
- Wellington Quarry (WWI tunnels)
- Musée des Beaux‑Arts d'Arras
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikidata – Arras: www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q12345
- Arras official tourism site: www.arras.fr/
- Wikivoyage: Arras, revision 5147443 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5147443
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/arras). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.