Do you love hitting those little yellow balls ? Arras has a number of tennis courts to accommodate fans of this sport, which can be played by two or four players. If we’re talking about a tennis court rather than a tennis court, it’s because the origins of this sport go back to the game of paume. The latter was played by aristocrats, including monarchs such as Henri IV, in another term, the “court”, hence the current name. Arras has a long tradition of playing tennis, which was reinforced by the success of mass television in the 80s and the broadcasting of Roland Garros. So it’s easy to get to a tennis court, whether cement or clay, in or around the capital of Artois (the Beaurin tennis association springs to mind).
Les tennis des Grandes Prairies d’Arras
In one of the city’s green lungs, the Grandes Prairies, between the large residences and Sainte Catherine-lez-Arras, you’ll find some of the region’s finest clay tennis courts. Originally, the site was known to the people of Arras for its ability to accommodate players in enclosed spaces (there are still two halls with cement courts), but in recent years the outdoor courts have been replaced by clay. 
They are the delight of local amateurs and of the town’s club, Racing Club d’Arras Tennis, which also has a club house (as does the Arras golf course). In all, 9 indoor courts (grey and blue) and 6 outdoor clay courts await you.
Geographical location
Here’s the map to the Arras tennis courts :
What are the opening times and prices for Arras tennis courts?
There are two types of membership, allowing unlimited play from Monday to Sunday from 8am to 10pm on the 5 blue resin indoor courts and 6 clay outdoor courts, and requiring RC Arras Tennis membership. The annual cost for an adult is now 270 euros, which converts to 147 euros for youngsters under 18. A tennis school and group tennis lessons for adults are also available if you want to improve your skills. If you’d simply like to reserve a court for your leisure time, you can do so at the following times:
- Monday to Thursday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
- Friday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
- Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
An adult from Arras pays 10 euros per hour to reserve a court, compared with 8 euros if you’re a young person without a “pass’jeunes”. A person from the CUA (Communauté urbaine d’Arras) also pays 10 euros an hour, and if you come from further afield, the rate rises to 14.30 euros. It’s worth noting that it’s possible to buy tickets by the unit of 10, which saves you money.
View of the Grandes prairies in the immediate vicinity of the tennis courts
A short history of jeu de paume, the forerunner of tennis in Arras
As we all know, jeu de paume, famous for the eponymous French Revolution event “Le serment du jeu de paume”, is the ancestor of modern tennis. Originally played by hand (hence the name), it was later played with a racket, allowing an éteuf (Old French word for ball) to be sent over a net. In Arras, too, a jeu de paume hall once existed, and a street still bears the name of the place. Rue du Jeu de Paume is located near Boulevard Crespel, not far from the famous octagonal Place Victor Hugo. This was a dynamic district, particularly in the 17th century.
X.D.
