More Reasons To Visit Lille

From my recent Christmas trip

Three weeks ago I visited Lille in northern France to escape that dull period between Christmas and New Year. I had a wonderful time in this quaint French city, which happened to have a beautiful Christmas market and beautifully decorated streets.

Read about my initial thoughts here:

After finding my feet in this historic city, I was keen to discover more about its culture and traditions.

Knowing Lille Better

I had already watched a few Youtube videos about what to do in Lille before I got there. Most travel bloggers suggested walking up the Belfry of the Town Hall, which I did first. It was 400 steps to the top and I struggled half way, having to catch my breath.

The view from the windows on each level was great. I enjoyed reaching the top and found it much easier walking back down again.

There is a lift which can be used after you have ascended the first hundred steps. It begins on the floor where you purchase your tickets. There is a limit on how many people can access the Belfry at a time so there was a queue outside but we didn’t have to wait long to get inside.

Local Cuisine

For an evening meal in France it is usually better to book a table, especially in places like Lille. I learned this the hard way when I perused the restaurant district on my first night and everywhere said ‘Complet’ (Full!).

The next evening I booked us in for a local delicacy named after the Welsh soldiers who were based in Lille during the War.

‘The Welsh’ comes in a dish and involves a layer of bread covered in cheese, ham and vegetables. You could add a fried egg to the top for an extra finishing touch.

This probably fattening meal is accompanied by fries and a side salad. I absolutely loved it as I am a big fan of anything with cheese in it.

I suppose you could call it a Lille version of Cheese on Toast.

Lille Cathedral (Notre Dame)

Another highlight of my second day was a visit to the grand cathedral which had a very interesting history. A cleverly crafted inside didn’t match its fairly stark outside.

Apparently original plans to make an impressive and ornate facade were thrown out due to funding issues. So when the cathedral was extended, the outside was an afterthought.

Nonetheless the cathedral was beautiful on the inside and provided a great way to escape the pouring rain.

Bookish Things

One of my favourite places was the Vieille Bourse Book Market which is an open courtyard snuggled right next to the Grand Place. Second-hand books are sold here and it has a very arty feel.

Above the courtyard are cafes where you can take your newly purchased books to read.

In A Nutshell

Lille was packed with things to do, especially at Christmas. With a vibrant city centre and plenty of interesting museums and restaurants, it had everything I needed.

I am sure you would find this an ideal venue for a weekend break. Being only one and a quarter hours from London it is a brilliant place to escape to during term time.

There are so many other highlights that I am sure I will return to in future articles.

Have you ever been to Northern France?

Does beautiful Lille take your fancy?