Just one hours drive south of Calais lies Arras. We first visited with my Brother and Sister in Law many moons ago, when we were “pre-enfants” (and when the only emergency stop necessary en route wasn’t for the toilet, but at Carrefour to stock up on wine to take back!)!…
We spent that golden Autumn weekend perusing glorious market stalls piled high with beautiful stinky cheese of the kind that the French do best, along with many other types of local produce (not always the expected kind – my ex-vegetarian self vividly remembers being somewhat aghast that the fat bunnies on one stall weren’t being sold as pets!), usually followed by gargantuan seafood platter sampling. This was often succeeded by a little Pastis appreciation, accompanied by a spot of (raspy voice making) Gauloise smoking with the locals in an antique bar or two – it was the less health conscious 90’s after all! General communication was pretty much left up to my Sister in Law who has a French Degree, although I think we were all just about fluent after a Pastis or two…
ANYWAY… We had such fond memories of the place, we decided to stop on our way back to Bavaria last week, and it appears that we are not alone in thinking about doing so, it’s a popular place on the tourist map! There are plenty of caves under the city (more on them in a minute) to feel your way around, giant market squares to sit and people watch in, delectable restaurants, and World Heritage Belfries to climb – plus the various other surrounding districts that might also take your fancy…
Seafood was pretty much the main item on our agenda this time – really fresh beautiful French stuff. A kind of last seafood meal before we made our descent back to Bavaria (where of course you can get good seafood, but it’s just not quite like this!). We took our pick from one of two restaurants recommended to us by our Hotel Patron (we stayed at the Hotel D’Angleterre opposite the station – huge rooms, very quiet, friendly staff and the added bonus that if you are a Brit you won’t forget the name!), and decided upon Le Bateau de Ch’ti after discovering that a vast section of the menu is dedicated to Moules alone. So with half-sized portions of Moules Frites ordered twice, large seafood platter ordered once (for some ridiculous reason we had decided to share) and one bottle of finest French cidre later (not for the small people obviously!), we all left happy and full, content in the knowledge that the afternoon’s plans had also been decided upon. For once we felt organised!
Mr R had a phone conference, so would accompany us up the World Heritage Belfry (see upcoming post!) before leaving us to it. Whereupon I would take the Small People down to the depths of the famous World War 1 Cave experience under the city. Tickets in hand, we waited patiently for the allotted time to meet our guide, before being led underground (considering the amount of time I have spent in the depths of the earth recently, I am beginning to suspect a former life as a troglodyte!). I guess it was around 15 minutes into the experience that I began to get the inkling that something was amiss. Come to think of it, it might have been when our guide uttered the words “and that’s the end of the history lesson” without so much of a mention of WW1 and the soldiers who had gathered in the network of tunnels here to plan their surprise attack. Still hoping, we trundled on until we were led into a cave filled with some sort of flower display (I believe that particular “room” was “Asia”) all beautifully arranged and grown hydroponically.
Floral cave after floral cave followed, until “English Garden” dealt with (mostly piped classical music, a few daffodils and a bit of grass), I plucked up the courage to ask whether we would be seeing any of the War time stuff soon. The guide, a really sweet girl, clamped a horrified hand to her mouth, and revealed that we were in fact deep in the heart of the Jardin Des Boves (an exhibition of floral design held underground from March – June each year – and worth visiting if this kind of thing is your cup of tea, or if you wish to learn more about the power of hydroponics!)… Apparently the caves we should have been in were “just opposite” our hotel, “very convenient, mais non”?! Not so much when we had missed the last tour of the day, and were leaving early the next morning! 
Luckily, my own little tour group of two found the whole situation highly amusing, and to make up for the unintentional sight-seeing, we had dinner at the second recommended restaurant Amarine (very good!). Here we feasted on razor clams – and the smallest member of our party laughed until he was nearly sick about the day’s events, and a story I once told him about a punk who had a skull and cross-bones tattooed on his head (but which in time had unfortunately blurred over to resemble a Christmas pudding). But that my friends is well and truly another story… 
I loved your blog and photos about Arras. My husband worked in Arras for two years although we never lived there as a family as he travelled home most weekends to the UK. It is one of my favourite places to chill out and seep up the history. The British War memorial and the French Resistance wall are very moving places to see. I am a British expat wife who has just spent four and a half years in India. In 10 days we are moving to Zwickau , Sachsen for three years and are very excited about our new assignment.
Thanks :)
Thanks so much Sue, always lovely to meet a fellow Expat! :) And I hear Zwickau is very nice too – and not that far from Prague and other lovely places! :) Good luck with it all! :)
Thanks :) Yes Zwickau is a beautiful place and only a two and a half hour drive to Prague :)
I think that’s one of the things I love the most about living here – how close you are to everything else! :)
The French just do life so much better than us dont they so wonderful so stylish so simple. That garden is lovely i would totally fill my car up with wine and stinky cheese too
Thanks Helen! :) I once smuggled a particularly stinky cheese back on Eurostar for Mr R. Taxi driver complained about the Thames stinking all the way home! :D x
Definitely a nice stop on your way back to Bavaria and the caves are an interesting piece of living history. That seafood looks incredible! I would make the trip there for some gambas alone.
Thanks Dave! :)
Oh how funny you ended up on the wrong tour! I do like the plants growing underground like that though! I’m sure you will remember this for a long time, I hope fondly! :) Hope you get to take that other tour someday, too!
Thanks so much Lauren! :)
Hahaha, that sounds like something I would do. I’m too polite to question what’s happening until much too late. At least now you have a funny story to tell. That seafood looks delightful. I’ve never had razor clams and I’m curious to try them. Thanks for linking up to #SundayTraveler again!
Thank you Adelina! :)
Not proud to admit that I haven’t heard of Arras before. Anyway, it totally seems like my kind of place. I can easily imagine us perusing market stalls in a search of the stinkiest cheese out there, or eating moules à volonté. And you just made me nostalgic for 90s :)
Great story with the cave. One that will be remembered and told over and over again :)
I am sure they will torment me with that story one day, yes! Thanks Frank, I think you might like Arras! :)
Unintentional yes – but what a trip! That seafood looks so very good. Thanks for linking up with us again for #SundayTraveler
Thank you SJ! :)
I love stories like that, when plans go wrong they make great tales to tell! I also love the way you described your first visit to Arras, beautifully evocative of all that’s good in France! (Even the nostalgia for Gauloises!)
Thanks Phoebe! :)
Oops! I think, though, that I would have preferred the floral caves anyway :). It looks like a really interesting place – one to bear in mind for my France trip next year! Thanks for sharing :)
The other caves sound super interesting too though, oh well, maybe next time! :D Thanks Molly! :)
I think I prefer the tour you went on, how surreal. I think I have been to Arras in a similar past life to the one you describe, young and child free!
Thanks Penny, it was completely surreal! :D
Oh no! I’m glad you managed to see the funny side! All that delicious seafood probably helped! x
Thanks Ruth, it definitely helped! :D
Arras looks stunning (and har de har about the caves) x x
Thanks Jane! :D
That really made me laugh – you were on the wrong tour!!!!! Still, the flower caves do look beautiful, and so does the food. Yum! (ps I am an ex veggie too). X
Quite typical! :D Thank you xx
I love your travel stories! Beautiful written and the pics are amazing!
PS:Congratulations on being shortlisted lovely! Voted for you mwah!
Thanks so much Otilia! :) x
Ooops! It looked beautiful, even if it was unintentional!
Thanks Donna! :D
I love reading your travel posts, though it always, always makes me pine for a holiday and FOOD! ;)
Thank you! :D xx
It is these little mishaps that get remembered and your children will be telling this tale for years to come. In our family we still talk about the time on holiday in Spain when my father tried to order Sangria from a man who turned up to be collecting money for a charity for children with hearing difficulties and the man was himself deaf! Happy times :-)
Haha, thanks Kirsty! :) xx
Oh how lovely a mistake to make though? And I find my French is also fairly fluent after alcohol! That’s my excuse anyhow! A beautiful, lovely, descriptive, mouthwatering post, as always x
Thanks so much Anya xxx
It’s one part of France I haven’t been to, but I’d love to visit! I love the architecture of that part of the country – oh to be sitting in a cafe right now!
Thanks Mary, so close to the UK too! :) xx
You had me at ‘seafood’! Seriously though, aside from the amazing food, Arras looks beautiful.
Thank you Jayne! :) x
That’s funny! And yes, similar has happened to us too…
Love the look of Arras – makes me think that we really must get to know these countries that are so close to us before heading off further afield with the kids.
It really is unbelievably close! Thanks Penny! :)
You always make everywhere look so magical with your photos. And these stories are not only good memories for you, but make the picture complete for us as well! x
Thank you Michelle! :) xxx
Haha so funny.
But Arras looks amazing, I can’t think why I’ve never been before. Need to check the map, my folk’s place in France is in Normandy about an hours drive from Dieppe so it can’t be that far.
It’s well worth a trek if you are at a loose end, just make sure you check the right caves if you are interested in seeing them! :) Thank you!
Love the first photo of the blue door!
Thank you Brooke, have always loved doors! :) x
Love unintentional sightseeing can reveal the best treasures!
And some of the more obscure stuff! Thanks Becky! :)
how blinking gorgeous. I adore the evening image.
Thanks Emma :)
Your first image of those blue doors, makes me want to run down the steps and open to see what is hiding inside
Do you know I think it might be a bar? A lot were closed as it was a bank holiday there… Thank you! :)
Arras sounds nice–don’t think I’d ever heard of it! Funny about the caves visit.
We know all about Carrefour wine runs!
It has a very famous history, and some excellent restaurants! Thank you! :)
Heh heh what a kerfuddle. I mst admit I am the type of thoroughly British sort who would spend a whole day on the wrong tour without mentioning in, though secretly raging!
We sound very alike in that respect! :D Thanks Annie! x
How funny you should end up in the wrong caves – too much cidre or Pastis???
I’m sure we have been to Arras – only briefly for lunch when Rory was tiny – but it could have been another town beginning with A in the region.
Neither… I just didn’t realise how many caves one place could have! :D Thanks T! :)
Ha, I can’t believe you were on the wrong tour. You must have been very confused for a while :-) Those restaurants sound like my husband’s seafood heaven. I’ve never quite come to terms with seafood … I really want to like it and continue to try but it’s sadly not for me.
It was really confusing. I kept thinking we would get to that stuff soon… I don’t like all seafood, especially not those great big bullots (giant whelk things), then I am not fussed about sharing at all! :D