Lille France Travel Planner

Lille, France is located in the north of France, on the Deûle River, near the border with Belgium. Lille is one hour by train from Paris and 80 minutes from London by TGV train. The Eurostar trains stop at Lille.

Lille is in the Nord-Pas de Calais region of France.

The Lille-Lesquin International Airport is located 10 km from the center of Lille. An airport shuttle (from door A) gets you into the center of Lille in 20 minutes.

Lille has two train stations located 400 meters apart. Lille Flandres Station offers TER regional trains and direct TGV service to Paris, while Lille Europe Station has Eurostar service to London and Brussels, TGV service to Roissy Airport, Paris and major French cities.

Lille has 2 metro lines, 2 tram lines and about 60 bus lines. For the tourist, obtaining a Lille City Pass might be the best answer to transportation needs, as it provides entry to 27 tourist sites and attractions as well as free use of the public transportation system. You can get the pass online or at the tourist office.

Lille Tourist Office is located in the Palais Rihour at Place Rihour. There are many tours you can sign up for in the tourism office, including Flanders battefields coach tour Lille - Ieper - Lille, the City Tour, the Old Lille Walking Tour, you can reserve to climb the Town Hall Belfry for a view of Lille, and you can sign up for Segway tours.

A new tour for 2010 is the Lille War Remembrance Tour which takes you to Fromelles and the Weppes area, starting from the Lille Office of Tourism.

Lille was the first city in France to offer a Christmas market. The market runs from about mid-November to the end of December, and shops are even open on the three Sundays before Christmas. The Lille Christmas market is located on Rihour square.

Lille offers a very pleasant climate in the summer, although you can expect a little rain, which intensifies in the fall. June-August daily highs are in the low 20s (Centigrade), around 70°F.

Lille is known for its narrow, cobbled streets with Flemish houses, lively cafes, and elegant restaurants. It was designated as the "European City of Culture" for 2004.

You'll want to see Lille's Gothic Cathedral, the collection of 15th through 20th century paintings at the Musée des Beaux-Arts, which art folks have designated the second most important art museum after the Louvre in Paris, and Place Général de Gaulle, also known as the Grand Palace.

To get a different perspective on Lille, climb the stairs of the belfry and see it from above.

For a great example of the Flemish baroque by architect Julien Destrée, see the Old Stock Exchange (Vieille Bourse).

The Hospice Comtesse was founded as a hospital in 1237 by the Countess of Flanders, Jeanne de Constantinople and remained as a hospital until 1939. Get a glimpse of where Augustine nuns provided a haven for the sick, see some art (the Musée de l'Hospice Comtesse has been turned into a museum) then go outside and visit the medicinal garden.

On the west side of Lille is Citadelle de Lille, Lille's fortress, built around 1668 by Vauban and was part of the city's fortifications, most of which were dismantled towards the end of the 19th century. The Bois de Boulogne surrounds the Citadelle, and is popular with walkers and folks with children. There is a well-run zoo (Parc Zoologique) nearby.

Shoppers will want to stop over at the Center Commercial Euralille or Euralille Shopping Center located between the two train stations. 120 shops, restaurants and cafes will vie for your money in this Rem Koolhaas 1994 classic.

Note that many museums in Lille are closed on Monday and Tuesday.