"Take good walking shoes" a Lille Travel Page by tijs

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On the way to Vieux Lille

Bigger than expected

I only knew Lille from the highway from Holland to Paris: the big dissapointment of crossing the border to France. Boring industrial areas and transport companies. But when arriving in the town by train, it's clear: Lille is not just industry, it is a big domestic area, it has many suburbs and satalite towns and it is the center of a large occupied area. Although the city itself is not too large (210,000 inh.), the whole metropolitan area (CUDL - Communauté Urbaine de Lille) is the fourth biggest agglomeration in France with about one million inhabitants.
That's why the center of town is so busy and there is so much to do. So visiting the center of Lille was a surprise for me. You need good shoes to see the whole town and even if you only visit the center, you need at least a day. Lille and its districts have a different style than many other French cities. Somewhere between Flemish mannerism and baroque.

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Vieux Lille

Vieux Lille

The old district of Vieux Lille did not look so good in the last decennia: must houses needed to be renovated. But the last years, the distract became hip and modern, with lots of antique shops, art galleries and elegant boutiques. Most historic houses look pretty well now so the renovation has not altered the character of the district. It is worth to stroll through the narrow streets. The changes of the past make the district beautiful. Cjheck out the Rue de la Monnaie with its Hospice Comtesse and the Place de Brettignies. Here the façade of the Maison Gilles de Boë competes with the recesses and gargoyles of the neighbouring buildings. The square in front of the Cathédrale Notre-Dame de la Treille is a bit dissapointing. Dont forget to visit some bars, Flemish taverns or small restaurants, just to see the interior.

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Chamber of Commerce

City Center

Around the Grand'Place it is quite busy, especially at the end of the afternoon when people come back from work and go for dinner. Already in the 11th century this was the main market place . Today its numerous café terrces make it the favourite rendezvous in town. Four women dominate it. On her pedestal in the centre is the goddhess who commemorates the siege by the austrians in 1792. Three others, representing the region's provinces of Artois, Flanders ands Hainault, crown the high, stepped roof of the "Voix du Nord" newspaper. Pedestrians-only shopping streets lead off from here in all directions. The beautiful Chamber of Commerce and other historic buildings are enlighted in the evening.