Lille
At just one hour from Paris, 35 minutes from Brussels, 80 minutes from London and 2¾ hours from Amsterdam, Lille could easily be eclipsed by its illustrious neighbours, but no, it unashamedly cultivates and flaunts its differences !
Lille – a delicious blend of Flemish joviality and French elegance
Flemish, Burgundian then Spanish before becoming French, Lille has an exceptional architectural heritage. A trading centre since the Middle Ages, citadel under Louis XIV, a 19th century centre of industry and a 20th century city with ambition, Lille maintains its rich past with an eye firmly on the future. While the Euralille district is a mass of bold architecture by Rem Koolhaas, Jean Nouvel and Christian de Portzamparc, the south of Lille has become a fashion sector of « Maisons de Mode ».
Since 2007, young fashion designers sponsored by Agnès B have set up shop-workshops in this up and coming fashion district. The city remains clearly orientated towards the future thanks to the action of Lille 3000, a cultural association which organises major international exhibitions at emblematic sites like the Tripostal (the old postal sorting centre) as well as festivals lasting several months every 2 years.
European Capital of Culture in 2004, Lille is now a benchmark in this field. Culture is a major part of daily life in the city with prestigious museums, alternative art centres, an opera house, numerous theatres and the Lille National Orchestra.
Proud of its festive and gastronomic traditions, the capital of the Nord Pas de Calais retains a personal touch through the generosity and warmth of the people of the Nord, offering visitors a delicious blend of Flemish joviality and French elegance at the heart of the youngest region of France.
Sightseeing musts in Lille
The ‘Vieux Lille’ district is the most picturesque Flemish part of the city and extends from the Grand Place to the Cathedral of Notre Dame de la Treille. It teems with shops, art galleries, cafés and restaurants and its cobbled streets follow the route of canals, now disappeared.
The Hôtel de Ville (town hall) and its Belfry, a UNESCO World Heritage Site along with 22 other Belfries of Northern France.
The Citadel, built by Vauban, a fortification masterpiece
The Maisons Folies, (there are 12 of them) : Created as part of Lille 2004 European Capital of Culture on former industrial wastelands, they are centres for creation and cultural encounters in different districts.
La Gare Saint Sauveur – A former goods railway station, now converted into a bar, cinema, exhibition and concert hall.
Museums : Musée des Beaux-Arts, the second largest universal museum in France after the Louvre ; Musée de l’Hospice Comtesse, in an old hospital dating from 1237 ; Natural History Museum ; Birthplace of Charles de Gaulle.
Good food in Lille
Characterised by Flemish inspiration and French expertise, three landmark dishes of the region are served in Flemish ‘estaminets’ and other restaurants throughout the city. They are carbonnade flamande (beef in beer), fish or chicken waterzoi (in a cream sauce with baby vegetables), and potjevleesh (white meat terrines in jelly), all washed down with one of the numerous local beers. You can’t possible leave the city without having a filled waffle or a ‘Merveilleux’ (meringue) both of which need no introduction !
Discover the Nord département and its ‘absolute musts’ with Gites de France Nord : Lewarde Mining History Centre, Cassel, Roubaix and the Villa Cavrois, the seaside resort of Malo Les Bains."
Events :
Braderie de Lille, the biggest flea market in Europe, held every year during the first weekend of September.
Art Up, a Contemporary Art Fair, held every February.
Christmas Market from the end of November onwards
Lille 3000, formerly Lille 2004 : cultural events every 3 years.
A little further afield…
Roubaix for its factory shops and museums (La Piscine, la Manufacture)
Croix and the Villa Cavrois, villa built by the architect Mallet Stevens, a listed building.
Villeneuve d’Ascq and its LAM museum of contemporary art, lakes, Pierre Mauroy Stadium…
How to get to Lille
Ideally situated at the heart of Europe, Lille has a dense, varied transport network.
BY RAIL
Lille has 2 railway stations 400m apart in the city centre :
Lille Flandres : TER and TGV direct trains to Paris
Lille Europe : Eurostar to London and Brussels, TGV direct to Roissy (CDG airport), Marne la
Vallée (Disneyland Paris), Lyon, Rennes, Marseille, Bordeaux, Montpellier, Strasbourg, etc.
BY AIR
Lille-Lesquin international airport is 10km from the centre of Lille. Shuttle bus service to the city centre.
BY ROAD
Lille is at the intersection of 6 autoroutes :
• A1 : Paris (220km)
• A22 / E17 : Ghent (75km) then Antwerp (125km) and Amsterdam (290km)
• A23 : Valenciennes (53km)
• A25 : Dunkerque (80km) then A26 : Calais (110km)
• A27 / E42 : Brussels (110km)"
Our selection of accommodations
Guest house - Citybreak
Les tourelles
in MONS-EN-BAROEUL - Nord
