Arras

Arras is the prefecture of the Pas-de-Calais, about forty kilometres from Lille, and has nearly 43,000 inhabitants. Its centre is organised around two Flemish-inspired Baroque squares, the Grand-Place and the Place des Héros, lined with brick and stone façades, which form an architectural ensemble reputed to be unique in Europe. The centre has seen major reconstructions, in the seventeenth century and then in the twentieth century, after the destruction of the First World War.

The town has 225 protected monuments, which is the highest density in France. Two sites are inscribed as UNESCO World Heritage: the belfry and the citadel designed by Vauban. Arras hosts the Main Square festival every year, and its literary past earns it the title of literary centre of Picardy. It is also a university hub of the region.

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