Photo TidbitsArras France

By Jim and Emmy Humberd

Arras' beauty can be seen in the harmonious appearance of the Flemish architecture in two large market-squares la Grand-Place, and the formally known Petit Marché, renamed in 1945 as La Place des Héros. These squares are linked by the Rue de la Taillerie*. The Grand­Place is surrounded by 155 buildings, many with basements that are three levels deep. These Boves form a grid, and served as shelter during the bombardment of 1945. Some of the buildings are one window wide, some two and some three. The façade of each building tapers to a peak, providing a continuous up and down pattern, modified only by the width of the building.

Workmen were carefully restoring and cleaning the buildings the first time we were in Arras. By our next two or three visits, we had expected our two favorite squares would be clean and neat, but since it took two World Wars and five hundred years to get damaged and dirty, and it took many years for them to get renovated and cleaned.

* The proper translation of Rue de la Taillerie is Street of the Gem Cutters. But like with many streets in France this one has a 'story.' The Rue de la Taillerie at one point in its history housed workshops where the workers cut cloth, not gems. So in this case Rue de la Taillerie translates to Street of the Tailors.

Books by Jim and Emmy Humberd:
Invitation to France
Invitation to Germany
Invitation to Italy

Related Link:
Know before you go to Arras France

Hotels in Arras

French Video Immersion