Arras



Arras (Atrecht in Dutch) is a city and commune in northern France, préfecture (capital) of the Pas-de-Calais département and one of the main cities in the Region Nord-Pas-de-Calais. The historic centre of the Artois region, its local speech is nonetheless characterized as a Picard dialect. Unlike many French words, the final "s" in the name should be pronounced.

There are usually many travellers who come in Arras, to visit (some munuments are known thanks to the UNESCO like the Citadelle and the Belfry), to come to some huge concerts during the summer and even to visit the area around like the Military Commemorations places like in Vimy.

There is about 60 Couchsurfers who live in Arras and around. You are more than welcome to stay some nights in this nice city. The CS Wiki Page is here to prove you that there are some reasons to stay a journey in the Capital of the Pas-de-Calais !

HISTORY OF ARRAS
Originally settled by the Celts|Celtic tribe of the Atrebates, it later became a Ancient Rome|Roman garrison town known as Atrebatum.

It is located in the former Dutch and French provinces of Artois. For many centuries, Arras was on the border between France and the Low Countries and it frequently changed hands before firmly becoming French in the late 17th century, the fortifications upgraded by Vauban helping keep it in French hands. The town was closely linked to the trade of Flanders and later became an important centre for sugar beet farming and processing as well as a prosperous market centre.

In the 14th and 15th centuries, Arras was a thriving textile town. The industry specialised in fine wool tapestries which were sold to decorate palaces and castles all over Europe. Few of these tapestries survived the French Revolution as hundreds were burnt to recover the gold thread that was often woven into them. The term Arras is still used to refer to a rich tapestry no matter where it was woven.

The Union of Atrecht (the Dutch name for Arras) was signed here in January 1579 by the Catholic principalities of the Low Countries that remained loyal to monarch|king Philip II of Spain|Philip II of Habsburg; it provoked the declaration of the Union of Utrecht later the same month.

During the First World War, Arras was near the front and a long series of battles fought nearby are known as the Battle of Arras (1917), in which a series of medieval tunnels beneath the city, unknown to the Germans, became a decisive factor in the British forces holding the city. The city, however, was heavily damaged and had to be rebuilt after the war. In the World War II|Second World War, during the invasion of France in May 1940, the town was the focus of a Battle of Arras (1940)|major British counter attack. The town was occupied by the Germans and 240 suspected French Resistance members were executed in the Arras citadel.

More information about the History of Arras on the Arras !

WHAT TO VISIT ?

 * More information about the places to visit in Arras on the Arras !
 * Check the Official Website of the Office of Tourism !

Free Wifi/Internet Access
Here are the following adress in Arras where you can have a free Internet and/or Wifi Access:


 * Agaem - Adress: 11, place de l ancien rivage - 62000 Arras - Tel: 0321559692
 * Maison de l'emploi et de la formation - Adress: 125 rue Meaulens - Tel: 0321233564
 * Centre Social Alfred Torchy - Adress: 29bis, rue du Docteur Baude - Tel: 0321071338
 * ADAQOA - Adress: 2, rue Pierre Loti - Tel: 0321168900
 * Cyber Centre Aidinfo - Adress: 1 bis rue Abel Bergaigne BP 45 - 62002 Arras cedex - Tel: 0321215080
 * Centre de Ressources CFA - Adress: CDR CFA 7 rue Eiffel BP 563 - Tel: 0321214220
 * La Maison des Chômeurs - Adress: 1 bis, Rue Abel Bergaigne BP 65 62000 Arras - Tel: 0321215080
 * Point Information Jeunesse Mission Locale de l'arrageois - Adress: 125 rue Meaulens - Tel: 0321233564



Asian Fast-Food

 * AUX DELICES D'ASIE - 40 RUE SAINT AUBERT - 62000 ARRAS - Tel: 03 21 71 18 48

Kebabs

 * Izmir Kebab - Rue de la Taillerie - 62000 ARRAS
 * Chawarma - Rue de la Taillerie 62000 ARRAS

Local Specialities

 * Crêperie L'Equinoxe - 11, Rue Augustines - 62000 Arras - Tel: 03 21 55 76 64

The Nightlife
Here are some bars and pubs where you can have good times:




 * The Baobab Kfé: nice and tropical ambiance, you will meet there some nice people, drink some nice drinks, beers and cocktail. Sometime, especially on Thursday evening, some bands do some concerts.
 * The Ocean Vert: Behind the Grand Place, if you like play pool, it is the place to be. On Friday night and saturday night, this place is full of person, so to find a pool free to play at this time, it is very hard. But I suggest you to go during the week, when the place is more relaxed.
 * The Equinoxe: in the same street of the Ocean Vert, it is a nice bar with some specialities from Brittany (west of France) like some drinks and some games (it's free to play it!)
 * The Petit Rapporteur: It is the Wine's bar to go if you like wine from different areas. It is situated on the street which make the link between the Grand Place and the Place des Heros.
 * The Vertigo: the smart, posh and fashion place in Arras. Nice nightlife place, nice atmosphere ... But if you don't like to see Fashion TV on the screen, I don't suggest you to go there.
 * The Ould She Been: The real Irish Pub of Arras situated above the Place of the Trainstation.
 * The Irish Pub: situated on the Place des Heros, it is not a real irish pub, cause of its french owner, but you can have some nice time there !

After midnight and 1 a.m, there are two cellars in the three places who are still open until about 5 a.m:
 * The Rockstation: if you like some rock music and some 80's and 90's rythms.
 * The Tao Bar: if you like techno and some electronic musics
 * The Bastille: it is more destinated for the people up to 30 years old.

By Carpooling
You can find a driver or passenger to share the ride and cut on travel cost. In France carpooling is very popular and is called "covoiturage". Try Envoiture.fr to get to Arras.

By Plane
Here are the nearest airport from Arras:


 * Lille-Lesquin: then take the train in Lille to Arras
 * Paris-Roissy: There is a direct train Roissy-CDG to Arras
 * Beauvais: then take the train Beauvais to Amiens and Amiens to Arras
 * Charleroi (Belgium) Take the train or the bus to Lille and then the train Lille to Arras

By Train
Arras has a very modern trainstation, the famous fast train TGV is passing through. With the TGV (with the National Train Company SNCF), you can come directly from Lille-Flandres, Paris-Nord and the Airport Roissy-CDG. From Brussels and from London, you will need to change the train in Lille.



Bus
There is a nice and developped Bus Network in Arras and its suburb (10 km around). It's shared by the society Artis. Here are the rates for the bus:


 * Free for the Children under 3 years old
 * Ticket: 1€
 * 10 Tickets: 7€ (5€ under 25 years old)
 * Monthly ticket: 25€

Main Office of Artis: Gare de Bus - Place Foch (above the Trainstation) - Tel: 0321514030

There are some bus who take you 25km from Arras, you can have some information here:
 * Gare Routière - Avenue du Maréchal Leclerc - 62000 ARRAS - Tel: 0321513464



How to buy a cheap bicycle in Arras:
To buy or rent a bicycle in Arras, you can ask to this association:


 * AICM Arras '- Maison des sociétés - rue Aristide Briand - 62000 ARRAS - Tel : 0321752540 - contact@aicm-asso.com. 

This association is acting against some healthy child trouble. So all you will pay there will be given for donation. You have the choice between:


 * Les "vélos du cœur" (Bicycle of the heart): Free rate, you can give all what you want to get a bicycle, there are all in good quality.
 * Les ""vélos du souffle" (Bicycle of the suffer): Bicycle in good quality, up to 40€
 * Les "vélos du facteur" (Bicycle of the Postman): Bicycle in very good quality, guaranty of 1 year, from 50 to 120€

The association AICM have also some volunteer who are ready to help you to fix you bicycle.

Meetings
There are sometimes some meetings organised in Arras. You have to check if there are some nextly on the CS Group of Arras. You can check the CS Calendar of the area, if there are some CS events in the region !

Coffee or a Drink
Here is a list of some CSers in Arras who could be ready to show you the city and to have a drink or a coffee:


 * Lu & Lo
 * Hugo
 * Caroline

Fête de la Musique
The Fête de la Musique happen each June 21st. It is to celebrate the arrival of the summer and ... the Music ! This event is national, so in each city of France you can participate to that, but in Arras it's something special, because it's not a so big city, and everything is concentrated in the center of the city, making a big melting pot of different musics !



The Main Square Festival</FONT>
The Main Square Festival exists since the end of the 90's and it is getting bigger and bigger year after year. Arras has known thanks to this festival some concert of some very famous band and singers like Sum41 and Placebo (2005), Muse and Depeche Mode (2006), Air (2007), Metallica, Celine Dion, Mika and Radiohead (2008). This festival happen on beginning of June and it doesn't stop to amaze us each years !

The "Fête de l'Andouillette"</FONT>
The Fête de l'Andouillette is the local annual event, and it presents all specialities from Arras and the area like the "Andouillette" and some nice & tasty beers. It's the opportunity for all local corporation to present themself. A nice temporarly Theme Park takes place on the Main Square of Arras at the same time. It happens during the last week end of august.

The Arras' Cinema Festival</FONT>
The Arras Cinema Festival L'autre Cinéma takes place in november of each years, there are many temporarly cinéma all over the city, which propose to discover some other aspect of the cinema, some special unusual movies.

IN CASE OF EMERGENCY</FONT>


Adress: 18, Boulevard Liberté - 62000 Arras
 * Police Station:

Tel: 03 21 24 50 17
 * Health Urgency:

SAMU & SMUR

Tel: 15 or 112 from a mobile phone Clinique Bon Secours
 * Hospital:

Adress: 15, Rue Aristide Briand - 62000 Arras

Tel: 03 21 71 43 78‎

Centre Hospitalier d'Arras

Adress: Rue Van Gogh - 62000 Arras

Tel: 03 21 71 51 51‎ or 03 21 71 05 77‎ or 03 21 21 17 70‎ Adress: Rue Victor Leroy - 62000 Arras Tel: 18 or 03 21 55 18 18 There is no Embassy or Consulat in Arras, but to find the closest one, check this Website. Allo Docteur !
 * Fireman Station:
 * Embassy:
 * Emergency Doctor:

Tel: 03 21 71 33 33

IMPORTANT LINKS</FONT>
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 * Arras on Wikivoyage
 * Arras on Hitchwiki
 * Arras on Wikipedia