The smaller and more intimate of Arras's two main squares, dominated by the Gothic belfry of the Hôtel de Ville. The belfry — a UNESCO World Heritage Site — can be climbed for views across the city and the flat plain beyond. At street level, the square has a lively Saturday market and a handful of good cafes tucked into the arcades.
The Hôtel de Ville's facade is a richly ornamented piece of Flamboyant Gothic revival, rebuilt after 1918 from pre-war photographs. The tourist office on the ground floor sells tickets for both the belfry climb and the underground boves tour. The belfry is open year-round and the climb — around a hundred steps — takes about fifteen minutes. On clear days you can see the flat Artois plain stretching north toward Belgium.