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For decades Lille was
blighted by heavy industry.
The late-20th-century decline of its industrial base led not to poverty but to a revitalisation. A big change came with the
high-speed rail links with London
and Brussels.
Today’s Lille, cleaned up and restored, has left
its industrial past behind and become one of the most attractive
and vibrant local capitals in France, packed with entertainment,
art, shopping and restaurants. It's also an academic city, with
110,000 students.
Geographically, historically and culturally Lille
belonged to Flanders, but was often under French rule and
has been part of France since the 17th century. Today Greater
Lille or Lille Métropole is France's fourth largest city
(population: 1.1 million).
The city's Flemish name is
Rijsel. Lille natives have their own dialect, Ch'ti,
and call themselves Ch’tis. The mix of French and
Flemish cultures creates a unique, dynamic atmosphere.
City of Lille:
www.mairie-lille.fr/en
Lille tourist office is in Place Rihour, just off Grand'
Place, a few minutes' walk from the Eurostar station.
City Pass gives free entry to 26 sites and
attractions, and free travel on Lille's public
transport (subway, bus, tramway). A one-day pass
costs 20€, two days 30€, and three days 45€. The three-day pass
also gives free travel on regional trains throughout the Nord-Pas
de Calais region.
Lille Tourist Office:
www.lilletourism.com
Lille's central district is in the middle of a large conurbation.
The focal point is a big main square, Grand’ Place . To the square's west,
main shopping streets rue Neuve and rue Nationale,
lead into the modern city centre. North of the
square
cobbled lanes lead into
the old quarter, Vieux Lille.
The legacy of old Flanders can be seen everywhere. The
large central
squares provide areas
of traffic-free relaxation beside elaborate Flemish Baroque
buildings. Historic Vieux Lille’s
atmospheric tangle of narrow cobbled lanes have been smartened
up and lined with chic boutiques and fine food specialists.
Central Lille is small enough to get around
on foot. But you'll need public transport to go to Wazemmes.
The Lille conurbation has
a modern transport system run by Transpole, with 2 automatic metro lines (called the
VAL), 2 tram lines, and 60 bus routes. Buses, trams and metros run every day
from 5.30 am to around midnight.
Buses, trams and metros are free with City Pass.
Or buy a Transpole Day Pass for 4€, or an Evening Pass (after 7.00pm) for 2€.
Otherwise, a standard (single) fare for the entire
network is 1.40€. (Set of 10 tickets: 11€).
Appealing "estaminets" (brasseries) serve hearty Flemish
fare such as mussels and chips, carbonnade flamande
(beef cooked in beer), waterzooi (fish stew or chicken stew),
and flamiche (tasty tart made with strong Maroilles cheese),
all washed down with local beers.
Places to eat in Lille
L'Huitrière
Beside Grand' Place,
Lille's most 'gastronomic' top-end restaurants has a
beautiful Art Deco tiled interior, and delicious shellfish.
www.huitriere.fr
’T Rijsel
Atmospheric
old estaminet with pictures over all the walls and a big choice of local beers and traditional
Flemish dishes.
www.estaminettrijsel.com
Brasserie Alcide
Plenty of
Flemish tradition and local dishes, combined with
contemporary flair and style in this popular brasserie near
Grand'Place.
www.restaurantalcide.fr
La Cave Aux Fioules Good
Flemish fare and classic French dishes at very reasonable
prices, in one of Old Lille’s most picturesque streets.
www.lacaveauxfioles.com
Le Sebastopol
A top name for classic
French dining, with Art Deco dining room and acclaimed seasonal
menus that are worth every penny.
www.restaurant-sebastopol.fr
Patisserie
Méert
Elegant salon de thé with light savoury dishes, superb waffles, crepes and cakes.
www.meert.fr
Accommodation in Lille
Des Tours
In Vieux Lille, with
decent rooms, contemporary style and modern paintings.
www.hotel-des-tours.com
De la Treille
Modernised,
comfortable and moderately priced. Smallish rooms but well
placed for Vieux Lille.
www.hoteldelatreille.com
L’Hermitage Gantois Modern luxury and old-fashioned charm in a
14th-century former hospice in the city centre not far from the
Fine Art Museum.
www.hotelhermitagegantois.com
Mercure Opéra Good
reliable comfort and service in an attractively restored
building near Grand’ Place.
www.mercure.com/....
Lille Europe Across the road from the Eurostar station, and built into
the Euralille shopping mall, this is a functional, convenient
low-cost location.
www.hotel-lille-europe.com
Carlton Opulent, well-equipped modern four-star in the centre of town
close to shops and sights, with its own restaurant and
bar.
www.carltonlille.com
Eurostar -
from London to Lille direct several times daily,
journey time scheduled 1h20m from London's St Pancras International station.
By road - autoroutes converge on Lille
from every side, including A25 from Dunkerque (joins A16 from
Calais) and A1 from Paris. Driving and parking in Lille can
be difficult - better to use one of the 8
park-and-rides on the edge of the city.
Road approaches to Lille - Google map |
The Central Squares
At the heart of Lille,
three attractive squares run into each other. Huge Grand' Place
(or Place de Gaulle), where the modern ‘Centre Ville’
meets Vieux Lille, is surrounded by fine Flemish-style architecture,
notably the
Ancienne Bourse, a lovely walk-through Renaissance gem with a
fragrant little flower market in its courtyard.
Place du
Théâtre
is named for the wildly ornate Baroque Opéra. Beside it, a musical
carillon chimes from the belfry on a lovely old brick and stone
building now housing the Chamber of Commerce.
Place Rihour is
dominated by a former palace of the Dukes of Burgundy (now
the tourist office).
Vieux
Lille
T he picturesque historic quarter is a treasure trove of taverns, brasseries
and top-quality specialist stores selling luxury chocolates and
delicate local lace. 700-year-old Hospice Comtesse is a fascinating former medieval hospital
still with its chapel and
patients’ ward with vaulted ceiling. Today it's an art museum devoted to
the Flemish masters, with paintings, tapestries and sculpture.
Palais
des Beaux-Arts
Lille’s imposing,
well-named Palace of Fine Arts, one of France’s major art
museums, displays fine collections of 15th-20th century European
painting, sculpture, antiquities and beautiful ceramics.
www.pba-lille.fr
Charles
de Gaulle Museum
Most renowned of the sons of Lille, President Charles de Gaulle
(1890-1970) was leader of the wartime Free French forces and in
every sense an imposing figure on Europe's post-War political
stage. His birthplace and childhood home at 9
rue Princesse is preserved as a monument to the man and
fascinating relic of 19th-century bourgeois life.
www.maison-natale-de-gaulle.org
Lille
Métropole Museum of Modern Art (LaM)
At Villeneuve d’Ascq, 10km from Lille, this leading modern art
museum, set in a sculpture park, displays work by Braque,
Picasso, Léger, Miró and Modigliani and important contemporary
artists.
www.musee-lam.fr
Citadelle
Lille’s star-shaped 17th-century fortress, enclosed by
watery defences, helped protect France’s frontier after it
seized part of Flanders. Still an army base, the interior can be
visited every Sunday.
Lille makes a great shopping trip. These are the
main places to shop.
Vieux Lille (the old quarter)
Among the treats along the shopping lanes of this
picturesque quarter, renowned cheese specialist Philippe
Olivier is at 3 rue du Curé St Etienne; Chocolatier
Benoît is at 77 rue de la Monnaie; artisan bakers Boulangerie
Brier is at 118 bis rue Esquermoise; and
lavish, long-established Pâtisserie Méert is a heaven of cakes and chocolates at 27
rue Esquermoise.
Euralille Centre
This huge multi-storey mall close to the Eurostar station has a
Carrefour hypermarket and scores of other stores selling everything from fashions to food, kitchenware to kitsch, with
heaps of French style.
www.euralille.com
Markets
Biggest and best of many regular markets is away from the city
centre at Wazemmes every Sunday morning (smaller versions on
Tuesday and Thursday), with flowers, food, antiques,
bric-a-brac and more.
Centre Ville (the modern town centre)
Here wider, straighter
streets throng with locals, and there’s the authentic feel of
21st-century France, with chic fashions and more top-quality shopping.
Don't tip taxis - it's
included in the fare.
City Pass from the tourist
office gives unlimited travel and discount entry
into museums.
Fermé le lundi / mardi A lot of things are closed on Monday
or Tuesday,
including several museums and attractions.
Guided city tours 50-minute tours start hourly from the tourist office.
Price 10€ (or free with City Pass).
You're in beer country Lille's bars have lots of
traditional Flemish brews. There's no local wine.
- Where is it?
NW France, near Belgium and the English Channel.
- International phone dialling code:
00 33 (+ drop initial 0 of phone number).
- Time zone:
GMT/BST + 1 hour.
- Money:
Euro (€).
Wazemmes Accordion Festival
15-27 May 2012
Head to the Maison de Folie in Wazemmes to hear expert
accordionistes perform everything from popular tunes to modern compositions.
www.flonflons.eu
Clef de Soleil Music Festival
Jul - Aug 2012
(tbc)
Chamber music and classical concerts on summer evenings, this
year focusing on Chopin.
www.clefdesoleil.com
Grande Braderie de Lille
1-2 Sep 2012
(Sat afternoon to Sun night, 1st weekend in Sep)
A highlight of the Lille year, this gigantic second-hand market
is a cross between a jumble sale and a huge party, filling the
city centre streets and squares.
Lille Christmas Market
19 Nov - 30 Dec (except 25 Dec) 2012
(tbc)
Decorations fill the streets and squares, and a picturesque traditional
Christmas Market in
Place Rihour offers seasonal treats and gifts.
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