Things to do in Lille | Hauts-de-France Tourism

5 good reasons to visit

Reason n°1

It’s easy to visit – only a 90-minutes direct train journey from London

Reason n°2

Le Palais des Beaux-Arts and Les Maisons Folies for culture and art

Reason n°3

Warm and friendly streets brimming with lively restaurants, cafés and designers from Hauts-de-France

Reason n°4

The unmissable Braderie de Lille is a famous street market that takes place the first weekend of September. It’s an institution!

Reason n°5

A local cuisine that’s full of flavours to enjoy with friends or family

Northern France _ Lille _ Vieille Bourse © CRTC Hauts-de-France – Frederik Astier

In the words of Charles de Gaulle…

“For us, people of Lille, it is the truth that counts, not the frills and fripperies.”

Charles de Gaulle

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A taste of Lille - 7 highlights

Lille, La citadelle ©CRTC Hauts-de-France - Philippe Frutier

The citadel of Lille, the queen of citadels, is ideal for a break in green space

The so-called “queen of citadels” was built on the green fields of le Champ de Mars and is known as the “lungs” of the Lille metropole area. The area was fortified by Vauban on the orders of Louis XIV after he had conquered Lille.

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Lille _ Gaufre de la pâtisserie Meert _ Rue Esquermoise _ au bord du Vieux-Lille © CRTC Hauts-de-France - Jean-Luc Verbrugghe

The waffles at Meert’s – a treat that’s won over the most famous of us all

Napoleon, Churchill and de Gaulle – they have all visited Meert, a famous patisserie in Lille’s old town. With golden gilding, extravagant ceiling, wrought iron balconies, brass and mirrors, the building itself is a treat for the eyes. Your senses will really come alive when you taste the famous Meert waffle, flavoured with Madagascan vanilla and made from a recipe that dates back to 1849. It’s said that General de Gaulle even had them delivered to the Elysée Palace when he was president. Don’t forget to share these delicious treats with your friends and family – they are a great introduction to Lille.

Aix-Noulette _ Brasserie Saint Germain, _ bière artisanale © CRTC Hauts-de-France - AS Flament

L'Échappée Bière tour of Lille

Confession time! Did beer – an iconic drink in northern France – inspire your visit to Lille? Well L’échappée Bière could be a perfect fit for you. These fun brewery tours, pub crawls and artisanal tastings are an original and friendly way of seeing the sites of Lille during a weekend with friends.

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Lille _ Boutique de la créatrice de bijoux Virginie Monroe © CRTC Hauts-de-France - AS Flament

Meet the creatives behind “made in Hauts-de-France”

Enjoy a shopping weekend, French-style!

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Chantilly _ Musée Condé © CRTC Hauts-de-France - Teddy Henin

Live and breathe art

Art is soothing. Picasso said art “washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life”, and many scientists have since confirmed it: contemplating beauty does you good.

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Northern France _ Lille _ flea market © Office de Tourisme de Lille - Olivier Duhamel

La braderie de Lille, Lille’s friendly and lively annual street market

It’s been described as a giant street market and the largest car boot sale in Europe – call it whatever you like, but la Braderie de Lille is not to be missed!

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Le Palais des Beaux-Arts

The first floor holds works of the Flemish and French schools as well as the museum’s Dutch, Italian and 20th-century galleries. On the lower level are the Medieval and Renaissance collections, and also the famous relief plans of Lille – now superbly renovated. The Beaux-Arts museum truly lives up to its name!

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