Arras et ses rats

We are travelling to the UK for Christmas and, because of presents etc, we are driving.

We stopped overnight in Arras after reading this recommendation in The Times (subscription required).

There was a big Christmas market in the main square.

But the main attraction for me was the rats of Arras.

Apparently, since 1311 the rat has been the symbol of Arras.

It was the Thirty Years War that established the rat of Arras’ place in history.

When Louis XIII troops captured the Artois city from the Spanish on 9 August 1640, they found an inscription left behind by the Spanish:

When the French take Arras, the mice will eat the rats

The French soldiers replied by deleting one letter in the French word prendront to make it rendront, so the phrase became:

When the French give up Arras, the mice will eat the rats

Arras stayed in French hands – much to the delight of the rats.

So rats are everyone – especially chocolate ones sold in Patisserie Thibault.

Obviously we bought some.

Remember I once said that la buse should be the national bird of France as I’d seen so many on the drive to Lyon.

Well from Venelles to Calais I think we saw more than 100 on fence posts along the various motorways.

Cath said it was like they were forming a guard of honour.

I will endeavour to count them on our return journey to confirm.

Something for you to look forward to.