Perched in the north-eastern province of Pas-de-Calais, the city of Arras is one of the first inland cities that visitors experience on their way south from the port towns of the coast, and a great jumping off point for those looking to explore the historic battlefields of the Somme.
The town itself also boasts an interesting array of UNESCO-attested architecture, and a downtown patchwork of Flemish-Baroque buildings, where terraces of the city’s unique tapered apses loom over large cobbled squares and the grand heritage site of the Belfry. Elsewhere, Arras tourist guides are quick to recommend the curious Boves labyrinth of tunnels that winds its way beneath the town, along with the ancient site of Nemetacum that sits nearby.
Arras is also a great spot to sample the regional cuisine of northern France, with many of the local cafes around the square serving up quiche, crepes and classic seafood dishes from the region to boot.