Dreamy French town less than two hours from London perfect for budget weekend

Posted by Admin April 21, 2024 Travel

At the crossroads of major European capitals, close to Belgium, Lille is a multicultural city with plenty to offer visitors, from the wide range of its museums and galleries to the natural beauty of the Hauts-de-France region.

A rich cloth-making town in Flanders, Lille was first annexed to France under the rule of Louis XIV in 1667 before the Dutch once again reclaimed it a little over 40 years later by the Dutch.

Only in 1713, when the two countries signed the Treaty of Utrecht would one of the lesser known terminus of the Eurostar become officially French.

Lille is located less than two hours away by train from London and is perfect for anyone who wants to enjoy the lovely French weather and food without the hustle and bustle of Paris.

A modern and dreamy city, Lille is attracting more and more new residents and tourists.

Lille’s old center conceals magnificent cobbled streets dating from the Middle Ages, now busy during the day for their fashion stores, and in the evening for their restaurants, pubs and nightlife establishments.

Famous for its museums, its Vauban architecture, its atypical gastronomy and its human warmth, for a weekend, this charming little city has everything to seduce the tourist and the visitor looking for a change of scenery.

Stepping out from the Eurostar, visitors can kick off their tour of Lille with the Grand Place, which hosts some of the most stunning buildings in the whole city.

There, the Vieille Bourse, the old stock exchange, stands face-to-face with the Rang de Beauregard, a row of 14 two-bay private homes that harmoniously brings together the classical lines of French architecture with its Flemish counterpart.

The square has long been the preferred meeting point for Lillois of all ages and its many restaurants and cafés are the leading evening entertainment hubs in the area.

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Steps away from the Grand Place, Old Lille is the historic centre of the town and the most architecturally stunning part of the city – its cobbled street lead seamlessly from one arcaded house to the next, their façades painting a perfect backdrop for pictures and family videos.

Here the modern and historic natures of the cities merge together in perfect harmony, with some of the loveliest restaurants in the whole of Lille ready to welcome guests in between their exploration of the Notre-Dame-de-la-Treille cathedral and waves of shopping in the several boutiques dotting the city centre.

Only a few minutes away is the green lung of the loverly northern France gem, the Bois de Boulogne, where families can let their children, both human and animal, free to play around.

The Bois is effectively a wooded island in the heart of the urban centre – surrounded by the river Deûle, the 60 hectares park includes small woods, an asphalt promenade from which one has a stunning view of the citadel as well as a zoo and an amusement park.

Food lovers should not miss the gourmet market set up in Lille’s “Latin Quarter” every Wednesday and Saturday morning.

Extending between Boulevard de la Liberté all the way to the student hotspot of Place Philippe-le-Bon, the République district has evolved from its bourgeois beginnings to welcome a more bohemian population.

Together with the former working-class district of Saint-Sauveur, the area has slowly been redeveloped and revitalised, with the old train station turned into a concert hall and exhibition venue.

Lille can be reached via Eurostar from London in one hour and 22 minutes from £39 or by plane via Paris, which is a little over an hour away from the northern city