ARRAS: INSIDE FRANCE’S OLDEST MARKET | M6 | 66 minutes

It’s a must-see in northern France.
Arras — a refined city with Flemish architecture, arcades, gabled houses, and a majestic belfry rising 75 meters high — often ranks among the top three in France’s “Most Beautiful Markets” competition.
Every Saturday, two hundred vendors and thousands of visitors gather for this spectacle that no one wants to miss. Across the city’s three main squares, endives, beets, and the famous andouillette d’Arras — served, of course, with maroilles cheese sauce — stretch as far as the eye can see.
The Thibault pastry shop, a northern institution, takes the opportunity to sell its famous heart-shaped treats — filled with chocolate, white honey, or yes, maroilles again. With its thousand flavors, this market is the oldest in France, dating back to the Middle Ages.
From the local market warden with his ch’ti accent to the jovial butcher-caterer, the small producers, the customers, and even the bell ringer — here, everyone is on a first-name basis. That’s just how it works in this convivial marketplace.
And if you want a terrace seat to enjoy your coffee and a Petit Rat d’Arras pastry while watching the show, you’ll have to elbow your way in — it’s prime real estate.
Welcome to the temple of good food and friendly commerce.