Lille travel guide

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Lille is a city in northern France. It is the principal city of the Lille Métropole, the fourth-largest metropolitan area in the country behind those of Paris, Lyon and Marseille. Lille is situated on the Deûle River, near France's border with Belgium. It is the capital of the Nord-Pas de Calais region and the prefecture of the Nord department.

A former major textile manufacturing centre, Lille forms the heart of a larger conurbation, regrouping Lille, Roubaix, Tourcoing and Villeneuve d'Ascq, which is France's 4th-largest urban conglomeration with a 1999 population of over 1.1 million.

Fast Facts

√ Musee des Beaux-Arts : - It's one of the finest museums in France, displaying a rich collection of 15th through 20th century paintings. Popularly regarded as the France's second best museum after Louvre Museum in Paris, the Musee des Beaux Arts displays paintings of renowned French artists such as Donatello, Raphael, Rubens, Van Dyck, Rembrandt, El Greco, David and Toulouse-Lautrec.

√ La Vieille Ville : - The fascinating old town of Lille, La Vieille Ville is popular amongst tourists for its interesting narrow streets and old Flemish town houses. It's a nice place for strolling or enjoying delicious cuisines and beverages at a café and watch life go by. The Gothic style cathedral at La Vieille Ville is a must see tourist attraction in Lille.

√ Place Général de Gaulle : - Situated in the center of Lille, Place Général de Gaulle is a beautiful square and pedestrian area, close to the Voix du Nord and Vieille Bourse buildings. In the center of the square is a column with a statue of goddess on top of it.

√ Center Commercial Euralille : - The Center Commercial Euralille or Euralille Shopping Center is another must visit tourist attraction in Lille. It was built by famous town planner Rem Koolhaas in 1994, between the Eurostar and Lille Flandres stations. The shopping complex houses a hypermarket with over 120 shops, restaurants and cafes.

√ Musée de l'Hospice Comtesse : - A beautiful hospice and museum in Lille, Musée de l'Hospice Comtesse is one of the oldest buildings in Lille, founded way back in 1237 AD. It displays a good collection of gold, silver and earthenware antiquities, tapestries, paintings by the Watteau brothers, and several classic Flemish works.

Lille has a reliable and efficient public transport network comprising buses as well as trams and most impressively one of the world’s first driverless Metro systems. However, most places of interest in this city are located within the city centre making walking the best and most enjoyable means of getting about.

Many of Lille's restaurants specialize in Flemish comfort food including Carbonnade (beef and beer stew) and waterzoï (fish or poultry casserole). Flemish tradition gets a contemporary twist of fusion from young French chefs, inspired by seasonal produce. Local cheeses Maroilles and Mont des Cats, chicory, beer and even Lille's legendary genièvre (gin) appear in the most unlikely dishes.

• Enjoy the stores & restaurants of the multicultural Wazemmes Market.
• Dine on traditional cuisine at the Brasserie Flore, just off the main square.
• Visit the Gr&e Place, the main square where the magnificent 17th-century Vieille Bourse is located.
• Shop at Euralille or in the up-market boutiques of Vieux Lille.
• Enjoy fish at its best in the Art Deco l’Huiterie in old Lille.

ο Nightlife : - Lille has a nightlife all its own. The days of hopping on a train to Brussels are long gone, as the student bar scene has evolved into late-night clubbing, and floor-shows provide entertainment for those who'd rather sit down and watch.

ο Festivals

• The Tourcoing Planètes Jazz Festival is a week-long event that celebrates all kinds of jazz, from traditional to progressive, with concerts at various venues in Tourcoing and Greater Lille.



• Work your way round the stalls at Lille's Festival of Flavours where producers offer tastings of local specialities such as tarte au sucre and crème brûlée á la chicoree.



• In the beginning of September come to Lille to experience the "Braderie". The largest flea market on Europe with over 3 million visitors and lots of shopping. It lasts all weekend when almost all of Lille's streets are turned into pedestrian areas with lots of music and entertainment. Be prepared to come early to stake out the best deals on everything from antiques to LPs, books, clothes, furniture, etc. During lunch enjoy the famous "Moules-Frites" dish. By the end of the day you'll see mountains of "moules" stacked up on the sidewalks!

Each district has its own special features, and the variety of shops is enough to satisfy every budget and every desire.

♦ With its narrow, cobblestone streets lined with lovely Flemish houses, Old Lille is the ideal place to find the great names in luxury goods, fashion and design. There are plenty of antiques shops and art galleries and a pleasant market on the Place du Concert every Sunday morning.

♦ In the centre and pedestrian streets, you’ll find the department stores and international chain stores. On the Grand Place, the Furet du Nord is one of the biggest bookshops in Europe!

♦ In the train station district, the Euralille shopping centre, designed by Jean Nouvel, houses a hundred shops, restaurants and a hypermarket beneath its futuristic lines.

♦ The multi-ethnic Wazemmes area is a place to come bargain hunting in the bazaars and discount shops in the Rue Gambetta district.

♦ On the Place de la Nouvelle Aventure, you’ll find flavours from all over the world at the large, bustling Sunday morning market.

♦ In the Lille Sud district, Rue du Faubourg des Postes has become the Faubourg des Modes (fashion district).

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