Arras, France
We decided early on that we’d hang out in Arras for a few days after the walk; regroup, relax, and recover. The logistics of getting somewhere from here are really good, with high speed train connections to Paris in 50 mini. But, the number of days left before our flight home doesn’t leave enough time to travel to any place that’s not as well connected. So, we’re discovering Arras and surrounding area.
Arras is considered to be in northern France, which tourist books and websites say is often much quieter than southern France. The Via Francigena guide calls the section from Canterbury to Arras the most boring part of the entire trail. It also has a reputation of raining a lot, which it’s been doing for the last 3 days. But I don’t mind, because there are no long lines of noisy tourists here; lined up waiting to get into museums, no lines waiting to see “famous” paintings, there are no noisy tourists waiting to get into restaurants, there are no noisy tourists in the pubs, there just are no noisy tourists!
Arras also has Uber, taxi service and a local bus service, and that makes the surrounding area’s attractions and sites, (the ones that are out of walking range), more accessible.
A mistake! Earlier yesterday I passed this Friterie near the square and I saw a virtual mountain of fries piled up ready to be cooked. There was a large group of high school kids lined up, buying and eating and drinking…all the stuff high school kids do on their lunch break. So on the way back from the restaurant the friterie was still open with no one around. The eyes are often bigger than the stomach and after 2 weeks of “rations” and small portions it’s difficult to even make a dent in the 1KG of “frites” I ordered!
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