Lille
Eco-friendly travel guide to Lille advises how to be a responsible tourist. Learn how to explore the attractions in a sustainable way and how to respect the local people and culture. Make your trip green by supporting locally owned hotels, organic restaurants and other businesses. Read more on how to protect the environment by making conscientious choices and how to travel green in Lille, France.
- Air quality: 2.0 / 5
- Exploring by foot: 2.5 / 5
- Exploring by bicycle: 3.5 / 5
- Public transportation: 3.5 / 5
- Parks: 4.0 / 5
- Outdoor activities: 3.5 / 5
- Locals' English level: 3.0 / 5
- Safety: 3.0 / 5
- Accommodation: US$50 - $150
- Budget per day: US$80 - $200
Contents
Responsible Travel
The capital city of the Hauts-de-France region, Lille, is located in Northern France, close to Belgium's border. Lille is the fourth biggest city in France. It might not be everyone's favorite as a place to settle, but as a tourist, it's a treasure! It's the cultural hub of entire France. Lille hides a lot more in it than it shows.
Responsible Travel does not only mean following a few restrictions like not making a place dirty with trash, etc.; it means making a place better for the residents and keeping a place's tourism value intact for the future. Here are a few things you can do and be a responsible tourist:
- Use environmental resources as much as possible.
- Understand the value of their culture and respect the socio-culture authenticity of the locals.
- Support all kinds of economic operations, including social services of host communities.
Being a responsible tourist means making all the decisions after thinking twice about how it can affect the surroundings. It's not that difficult as it sounds, even it's the easiest thing tourists can do for a foreign place. Small, even tiny steps can eventually make big differences.
Air Quality and Pollution
Lille is one of France's most polluted cities; even it is often noted for its pollution. According to a 2018 study, Lille broke the air pollution record in France, and approximately 1700 people died in Lille due to pollution till 2018. If we talk about the other regions of Europe, they breathe well enough. On the other hand, the Lille metropolis area is affected badly by pollution. The recent AQI of Lille is 70.
Lille has a temperate oceanic climate. Usually, summers are not too hot, but winters give hard freezes, which is why late spring and summer is the best time to visit Lille.
Respect the Culture
In 2004, Lile was elected the European City of Culture, and after that, it never looked back. Lille is rich in culture. Its old architecture tells a lot about its culture; it is simply stunning. Old Lille's architecture looks like it is the miniature version of Paris with a little Flemish influence. But it is not the only thing that attracts so many tourists every year; the tradition of Lille is also quite fascinating. The residents of Lille celebrate several festivals and events all year round. There is a national orchestra in Lille who plays classical music on every holiday and event. Braderie De Lille and Festival Lille Clef De Soleil are one of the biggest festivals in Lille.
Lille has a strong love for the arts. A number of art fairs, workshops take place in Lille every year. One of the biggest festivals of Lille is Lille 3000 Art Festivals. It gathers hundreds of artists, sculptures! During this period, exhibitions, theater performances, film screenings, and music performances are organized. It continues for weeks.
Residents here are very friendly and treat tourists like their family. They are sociable, especially during the festivals; therefore, conversations can be easily manifested. They are proud people with pride for their nationality and mother tongue. However, they know English pretty well and are unwilling to do so. That's why it is one of your duties as a responsible tourist to learn a few French words and respect their thoughts.
Top 10 Places to Visit
Lille is the largest city in Hauts-de-France, and it is the historic capital of French Flanders. Lille's stunning architecture carries the Flemish Influence beautifully, such as the stunning 17th-century buildings, courtyards, cobblestone streets, elegant squares, and growing new age with the café culture. The city has at least something to offer in very streets, lanes. Here we have sorted out and made a list of 10 top places. Have a look:
- Place du Général de Gaulle (Grand Place): It is the main square in Lille, surrounded by Baroque Flemish buildings. The Neoclassical facades are what make the buildings so unique. Lillois almost always crowd the square as it is their favorite meeting place. There are several cafés and brasseries, and in the middle, there stands the Goddess Monument. The south side of the square has the most beautiful buildings, and Vieille Bourse is one. It is the old stock exchange building, established in 1652. In the Place du Général de Gaulle, you will also found Grand Garde, sentry guard soldiers’ former housing, which now Théâtre du Nord.
- Eglise Saint-Maurice: It is one of the most beautiful Gothic churches in France. The Church was established in the 14th Century, and after that, it is renovated several times; still, the architectural unity of this structure is amazing. A tower on the facade makes the church a perfect example of a Hallekerque or Barn-like Church. Hallekerque is a type of structure inspired by the fragile, Marshy soil of Flanders. The Church is also recognized for its stunning interior and the unique sanctuary, decorated with marvelous 17th and 18th Century paintings.
- Cathédrale Norte-Dame de la Treille: The structure is known for its amazing details and Neo-Gothic design. The cathedral is located in a place where the Virgin Mary's ancient statue was placed and protected by an iron trellis. There are legends about the Virgin Mary, mentioning how miraculous powers she had. Architect Pierre-Louis Carrier designed modern as well as old architecture.
- La Citadelle: It's an active army base. The star-shaped military fortress was established in the 17th Century. You can learn many things about Lille's history with only one visit to Citadelle. Learn how Lille became such a critical crossroad for a strategic hotspot and trade.
- La Vieille Bourse': This is one of Lille's most iconic buildings. It's a collection of 24 similar houses, around a beautiful courtyard, built in the 17th century. It is the former building of the Lille Chamber of Commerce and Industry. It is located between the Place du Théâtre and Grand Place.
- The Belfry: It's a world heritage site, offering a marvelous 360 panorama view of Lille. The belfry is a city hall. In order to reach the top, you need to climb 100 steps and then use the elevator.
- Botanical Gardens: It is located at the southern tip of Lille. There is a rose garden, a tropical plant greenhouse, acres of trees, and most importantly, an easy reach from the metro. You can relax here peacefully, in the lap of greenery between your sightseeing.
- Birthplace of Charles De Gaulle: During the Second World War, Charles De Gaulle was the leader of the France Libre. The native hero of Lille also served the French Republic as a president. Today, his home is a museum to retell us his great works, sacrifices, and the story of his formative years. As this place was his home, you will also see how he used to live his life in the 20th Century.
- Euralille: Euralille is the third biggest business district in France, located in Lille. It is the trade and cultural hub of Lille. The Eurostar station is located here. It joints Lille with Paris, London, and Brussels. You will also find a lot of restaurants, casinos, hotels, some of France's biggest shopping malls.
- Le Fresnoy National Studio For Contemporary Arts: This studio is located in the Lille suburbia acts, maybe because both are teaching establishments and museums. Their goal is to provide the native people easy access to as many art forms as possible under one shelter. In recent years, the Le Fresnoy National Studio has been working in audiovisual techniques for the productions and making the studio an exclusive place to the native people for various practices. The Museum is also one of the most active museums in Lille.
Explore
The capital city of Hauts-de-France is known for hardworking individuals, and it is the fourth-largest urban area in the country. It also has a fascinating history. Being a city located close to the Belgian border, and three are various things to see and explore; check them out.
City Parks
Being the fourth-largest urban area in the country, there are many green parks here:
- Parc De Loisirs de la Citadelle: The park is located on a 70 hectares area, making it the largest park in the city. There are many fun activities in the park that everyone can enjoy: a large playground, several art structures, a small workout area, and all the exercising equipment. The park is locals' favorite jogging area as the numerous paths surrounded by trees and art structures make it a picture-perfect spot. The Parc De Loisirs de la Citadelle is also famous for the city zoo located here. The zoo has more than 500 animals to offer. If you want to spend some time here, then the vast open space, sheltered by various trees, is perfect for a picnic.
- Parc Jean-Baptiste Lebas: It is not as big as the Parc De Loisirs de la Citadelle but still, it is situated on 3 hectares in size. There is a children's playground, walking trails, bicycle paths, bowling greens, and a lot more. The park is recognized for its amazing botany beauty, rose gardens, large chestnut trees, and many beautiful flower beds.
- Parc Matisse: This is one of the contemporary parks in Lille, standing on approximately 8 hectares of ground. The park is also known as the Painters' park, named after a renowned French artist Henri Matisse. There is a giant water fountain at the center of the park that complements the park's beauty. You will get to see an incredible view of the city from the park. Parc Matisse is also a famous picnic spot. You can also enjoy games of sport or a midnight stroll here. There are plenty of benches where you can sit and enjoy the scenery, walking and biking paths where you can jog in the morning or walk with your loved ones, holding hands.
- Jardin Vauban and Parc des Dondaines are two other magnificent parks and famous landmarks of Lille. Jardin Vauban is an English styled garden, and Parc des Dondaines is an Adventure Park. Both are amazing choices if you want to have some fun time with family or friends and enjoy stunning greenery.
National Parks
Apart from Architectural beauty, Lille has also successfully conserved its greenery into beautiful national parks.
Here is the list of national parks in Lille:
- Reserve Naturelle du Heron
- Urbain Natural Park
- Écologique de Lille Garden
Beaches
Some of the famous branches in Lille include:
- Wissant: It's a huge sandy beach. Wissant is spread along the bay between the cliffs Blanc-Nez and Gris-Nez. The immense and tranquil charm of the beach attracts hundreds of people on holidays.
- Plage de Malo-Les-Bains: It's a huge sandy beach. The clean beach and beautiful transparent water are why people love so much to spend time here. There are also free toilets, and cold showers are available for visitors. It's a spacious beach and famous for the WWII evacuation. You can also have your lunch or dinner here from the restaurants and Cafés.
- Audressellers: It's a pretty fishing village, a few km away from Cap Gris-Nez. The buildings here are mostly colored white and blue, which increases the place's uniqueness. You will see fishermen's houses and fishing boats here. If you want to buy seafood and shellfish, you should come here.
- Caps Gris-Nez and Blanc-Nez: The dazzling white cliffs, Gris-Nez and Blanc-Nez, are standing as the boundary between the North Sea the English channel. Across the sea, the white cliffs of Dover are located. The cliffs reach 130m above the sea, one of the favorite places for migratory birds.
- Ambleteuse: It's a beautiful little beach mostly notable for the Fort Mahon. It was built in the seventeenth century. The fort is not open to the public. The mesmerizing beauty of this building increases, even more, when the waves beat up against it.
Landmarks
Lille has plenty of landmarks to offer its tourists, but it's important to learn about the best ones, have a look:
- Christmas Markets: December in Lille feels truly magical; apart from the cold of winter, December is the best time to visit Lille. It's when the city Don's it's fairy lights and garlands for its famous Christmas market. Dozens of food stalls offer delicious treats, gingerbread, vin chaud, lots of craftsmen offer their regional specialist crafts and arts.
- Braderie De Lille: Before the first Sunday of September, the entire Lille puts on their best dresses and gets ready for the Braderie De Lille. It's a massive open-air flea market and, therefore, an opportunity to grab fabulous things at fabulous prices through bargains. It is also the best time to buy antique treasures. Around this time, many events, concerts take place near the market.
- Porte de Paris: It is the highest triumphal arch in France. You can see this monument standing just on the opposite side of the Town Hall. It's a beautiful Monument which is called the door of Paris, established in 1692. It was built to honor the glory of Louis XIV. There is a drawbridge, a vaulted corridor on the ground floor; you will see stone lions guarding the two large flights of stairs. There are also several statues of Hercules, Neptune,
- War Memorial: The Monument is located in Rihour square. This building is the most despised one by all the people of Lille. It was built to honor the soldiers who lost their lives during the first world war. But people do not like anything about this place, from the subjects of the place to the sculptures, nothing. Today, this place is the tourist office, but before, it was the city council. The project of building monuments for the readers began in 1924. It was called Melancholy. Later, the buildings were multiplied by the number of civilian hostages and other dead, apart from soldiers. Though this place is not everyone's favorite, it is still the place where you can recall the heroism and suffering of the people who died for their country.
- Au Pigeon Voyageur: This Monument is a tribute to 20,000 messenger pigeons killed during WWII. The pigeons were the only way of communication in France for a long time. It's so amusing that Lille has such love and respect for the little creatures like Pigeons, and they erected a monument to honor them. Though the monument stands with such an interesting story, it's something that you might pass easily without noticing it. Still, it's a charming Monument and a famous landmark in Lille.
- Arts et Métiers National School: It is the top national arts and crafts school located close to Jean-Baptiste Lebas park; it's a public high school. This place's facade is a real treat for viewers, especially if you are interested in a little art history. The building is entirely in a neoclassical style. There are multiple statutes above the front door, at the sides of sidewalks. Truly, there is not much to see, but the antique charm is quite eye-catching.
- Zoo Lille: The zoo is spread across 3.5 hectares of area in the 70 hectares of park and Lille Citadelle's woodland. According to Lille's tourist reports, around one million people visit the zoo every year; the main reason is that the zoo is completely free, there is no entry fee! You will see a small wooden cabin, right after the entry gate. Here you will see a flyer and a small map of the zoo. There are plenty of animals to watch here, and the red panda is the first one you will see after entering. They have divided their animals into six thematic zones, Aviary Alley, Tropical House, Isle of Madagascar, Land of America, Monkey Valley, and Land Of Africa.
- Lille Opera: It's a neo-classical opera house, and it's a member of the European Network of Opera, Dance, Music, Opera Europa, band Education. It's just the place to experience the authentic classical music of Lille. World-class signing and orchestra are what attract so many people. The entire building is an antique in itself. Lille Opera is located just at the center of the old town. It's a must-visit place and a famous landmark in Lille.
- Gare Saint Sauveur: Gare Saint Sauveur is also known as Saint-so. It's an emblematic place in Lille. It's a place which is built on the base of a mixture of cultures. Exhibitions, concerts, parties, film screenings, etc., take place here. Throughout the year, Gare Saint Sauveur remains busy. The Saint-Sauveur station is a former railway station of Lille. In 2009, this site was converted into a cultural center.
- Place Du Theatre: The theatre Square is an urban public space of Lille. The origin story of the Place du Theatre is linked with Général-de-Gaulle. Before the construction of the stock exchange in Lilly, Theatre square and Général-de-Gaulle was only one. It is located between Vieux-Lille and rue Faidherbe. You can easily reach here from the des Manneliers, boulevard Carnot, rue Léon-Trulin, and rue Pierre Mauroy.
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Museums
Art is one of the main reasons behind Lille's popularity among tourists. There are several great museums and art galleries here which reveals Lille's rich culture and history. Here are some of them:
- LaM Lille Metropole Musee d'art moderne
- Musee d'Histoire Naturelle de Lille
- Palais des Beaux-Arts De Lille
- Musee Hospice Comtesse
- Maison Natale Charles De Gaulle
- Le Musee de Plein Air
- Musée Louvre-Lens
Eat
Lille is a paradise for foodies. The cuisine has a perfect mixture of both French and Belgian cultures. Carbonates, Flamandes, French Macarons, and Belgian Dutch Stroopwafel are some of Lille's signature dishes.
Traditional Local Restaurants
There are some traditional local restaurants in Lille: Have a look:
- L'Assiettw du Marché: The classic setting, amazing, and Lille's classical interior design, high ceilings, well-organized and stylishly set dining tables, fireplace— everything together makes this restaurant a signature restaurant of Lille. The classical food here is served with a modern twist. You will have several options to choose from, collected from all over France.
- La Chicorée: The restaurant is famous among the night owls, and the food here is served till dawn. The scarlet-colored restaurant has a huge pavement that fills up pretty quickly, as soon as the sun is out. Brasserie and regional food are prepared here efficiently with oysters, steaks, carbonnade, and mussels. You may find the service here a little slow. It happens because the place is mostly crowded.
- La Cave aux Fioles: The restaurant is located in old Lille. It's a cozy, dim-lighted place with amazingly tasty food. La Cave aux Fioles is set in a series of small rooms and decorated with antique furniture. It's a perfect place for a romantic date. You will find a huge variance among the traditional food menu here. They also have an impressive collection of wines.
- Le Colysée: Chef Benjamin Bajeux used to work at Alain Ducasse in Monaco and New York. Later he returned home and took over the restaurant located on the ground floor of Colysée Maison Foile. Now this place is praised by many celebs and a lot of "well-dressed" locals. The Bejeux's lights perfectly complement the distressed concrete, bronze leather, and also modern art. The modern and fantastic dishes of Bajeux fulfill the breathtaking set up of this restaurant.
Vegetarian and Vegan
Finding out a good vegetarian restaurant in a land of substantial and hearty fare is pretty tough, but here we are! We have picked the top vegetarian restaurants of Lille and mentioned in the list below:
- L'atmosphére: It's a friendly pizzeria, focuses on freshness and vegetarian foods. According to the owner, the pizza dough is made every day with minimal oil, and frozen ingredients are used as toppings.
- Happy F'eat: It's a self-styled multi-cuisine restaurant, offers various vegan and vegetarian dishes along with gluten-free meals, lactose, etc. The fresh interior and amazing desserts and cakes make Happy F'eat's customers truly happy.
- Le Bloempot: It's a Flemish cantina, offers traditional and regional food items. It's hard to tell that the restaurant serves veggie dishes by seeing the beautiful and cozy ambiance and friendly hosts. However, Le Bloempot is overall a good restaurant for vegetarians.
- Liquium: It is one of the most popular bars in town. The LGBT bar and café is quite used to with its electric crowd every day. Surprisingly, the place offers you amazing veg dishes at a very reasonable price! And if we talk about the taste, it's top-notch.
Street Food
You will get to eat numerous unique dishes on the streets of Lille. Wake your taste buds up and get ready to experience a burst of flavors in your mouth. Here are some of the best places to eat street foods in Lille:
- Canard Street Bethune
- Les Petites Douceurs de Phuket
- Wok and Sweet
- Sam'Regal
- Taco Memo
- Crepes of Thrones
- Marcq-en-Baroeul
- Père & Fish
Drink
Lille is not only the place for serious arts and historic architecture, but the nightlife here is also many people's dreams. It is said that wine is overrated; northern France people are proud of their beer. Even, they have a long history running with beer, which is known by very few people. You can say that Lille is France's Beer Capital!
Apart from beer, three summer drinks, The Vesper, French Connection, and Sunday in the Park, are pretty famous.
Café Savoyard, Cacolac, Café au pair, and French Press are other nonalcoholic french drinks preferred by numerous Lillot people. In the following list, we have mentioned some places where you can drink everything from coffee to cocktails, from wine to beer, have a look:
- La Capsule Lille
- Le Dandy
- The Sherlock Pub Lille
- Bartown
- Le Farafina
Tap-water
Lille is one of the most polluted cities in entire France. This is why the question automatically appears that if drinking water in Lille is safe or not; the answer is yes, it's safe. You can easily drink the Tap water, but check the traveler's rating on Lille's water quality or talk to them, and be completely sure before drinking it.
Organic Cafés
Check out some of the top cafes of Lille:
- Coffee Makers
- Pause
- Hopen Source
- Sweet Flamingo
- Wally's Coffee
- Gorilla Food and Coffee
- Tamper
- Mel
- Joe Tex Coffee
- It Coffee
Breweries
Lille was the home of thousands of beer Breweries after World War I, making the beer industry region's biggest industry. But today, only a few breweries exist. The most famous ones among them are:
- Le Lobby: This beer bar is famous for its Northern beer. This place is almost always crowded. Serving more than 10 beers on tap, this place is just amazing; a good mix of songs is always playing to jazz you up.
- Les 3 Brasseurs: You can say that it's a classical institute of beers. It's a great place to taste some "out of the box* beers and enjoy heartily.
- La Capsule: It is said that La Capsule is the name of Le Lobby's ten grandfathers. The highly professional staff takes beer quite seriously. The beer specialists serve 28 beers on tap. If you find the ground floor cozy but suffocating, then get down to the underground space.
- La Rumeur: It's a one-stop destination for all types of drinks! La Rumeur is a bar and a brewery, concert venue, restaurant, and art gallery. And the best part is, it's a very affordable place even for a brewer.
- L'Abbaye des Saveurs: According to many people, this is the best craft beer shop in France. They have the widest range of international and regional craft beers along with the Nord region menu.
Activities
Lille is a huge city in Northern France. It is a crucial commercial and cultural hub and a marvelous historical center. You can learn about this place, so many things, so many exotic, unique flavors to try, so many places to witness, in such an interesting city— exploring the whole city is an adventure in itself!
- Ride a bike and experience Lille's architecture and beauty, hidden in almost every street, every corner of the city.
- Participate in a paintball activity and just have fun!
- Rent an electronic boat in Marin D'Eau Douce and float around over the Deule river.
- Visit the Lille Zoo and meet with the numerous animals, live here.
- Climb and have fun in the What's up, Lesquin.
- Visit the Lille Le Grand Huit and participate in the "stand up paddle" activity there.
- Play golf at the Inesis Golf Park
- Experience Paragliding and Parasailing at Maytandem.
- Visit the EI Padel Club. There are 5 blue courts, 2 seminar rooms, 1pink Field, 1bistro for lunch, and 1 bodega for the evening.
- You can also participate in any event here as there are events all year round.
- Get an intuitive massage from L'heure du massage and get rid of all of the tensions and tiredness, and just relax.
Yoga and Retreats
No matter how far you go or which foreign country you are in, right now, spending some time in nature is very important. Sometimes it's very important to listen to your body instead of your "adventurous-self." Participate in Yoga and Retreats in Lille, breathe fresh air, hear the river's calming sound, just let go.
Here are some places where you can reconnect with yourself with Yoga:
- Nature Yoga
- Yoga studio du Vieux-Lille
- O center
- Poetik Yoga Lille
- Reo Yoga
- Vijayasa Yoga Retreat
You will also find many parks and a few beaches in Lille where you can practice yoga in the lap of nature.
Accommodation
Here is the list which we have made only for you after picking up the best places to stay in Lille:
Green Hotels
Staying in Green Hotels is an important step in being a Responsible tourist. Staying in Green Hotels means, somehow, you are helping the environment and also protecting it from further damage. Here are some of the best Green Hotels in Lille:
- Hotel Du Croisé
- Park Inn by Radisson Lille
- Logis Hotel Restaurant des Acacias Lille Tourcoing
- Appart'city confort Lille
- Couvent des Minimes
Hostels and Guest Houses
Living in a hostel or guest house is a decision that can save a lot of your money. If you are not very fond of luxurious resorts and suits or expensive hotels, staying in a guest house or hostel is a far better option than a cheap hotel. You can save the extra money and buy some beautiful gifts from Lille and take them home to your family. In the following list, we have mentioned some of the best guest houses and hostels in Lille.
- Gastama
- Auberge de Jeunesse HI Lille Stéphane Hessel
- EMAZEN ghest house and spa
- La Bourgogne en Ville
Apartments
Are you planning to stay in Lille for an extended period? If that's what your plan is, it's easy to get confused about choosing the right accommodation. Most people take the decision in the wrong way and start staying in a hotel. But in that case, don't you think that it would be very expensive? Well, in this situation, Renting Apartment is the best option.
Lille is a huge city, and it is always crowded with tourists. This is why it is very easy to get a rental apartment here. Just keep an eye on the internet and get a perfect apartment at a perfect place!
Couchsurfing
Couchsurfing is not yet fully accepted in Lille. Though the people here are very lovable and welcoming for some locals, the idea of a stranger using their bed for sleeping every day is not very acceptable. The main issue here is trust. Trust is the only reason why Couchsurfing is still not very popular. However, you may find a few international students or young people who are interested in Couchsurfing.
There is an online community called couchsurfing.com. Join them, and always stay updated.
Camping
Lille is a beautiful place with remarkable architecture and rich cultural features. The pleasant scenery, along with the pedestrian streets, especially calls you to stroll around. If you are searching for the best accommodation here, then camping would be a great experience! Through camping, you will get to spend your time with locals and can stay close to nature. However, camping is more efficient when it comes to learning about a place; nothing can offer you more knowledge than a brief conversation with native people.
Pay attention to the list below and learn what the best campsites in Lille are:
- The Ramiers
- The Image
- Les Alouettes
- Camping Naturiste le point Charley
- Air Nature of the Image
- La cour du roy
How to Get There
There are several ways to reach Lille by train, flight, or bus, but you can not directly land on Lille. You can reach other cities in France and then getting to the Lille city center is easy.
Here are some ways to get to Lille:
Air
The Lille-Lesquin International Airport is situated at a 10 km distance from the city center. It serves approximately 80 international and national destinations.
There are no direct flights from Uk to Lille. The best way to get there by air is to fly to London and then take a train to Lille. There are airlines like Air France, Ryanair, and EasyJet that connect Lille with other France cities. You can also fly directly to Nice and then take another flight to Lille from there.
Bus
Lille has one bus terminal and one bus stop, Boulevard de Leeds bus terminal, and Boulevard de Turin bus stop. The bus terminal is 5.36 km away from the city center, which is approximately a 13-minute drive.
The bus stop is 3.14km away from the town center, and it's a 12-minute drive.
Lille's bus service connects it with 20 cities in France and maybe 10 European countries, including Poland, Germany, and the Netherlands.
You will get all the information about the bus routes on your bus tickets.
Train
There are two main railway stations in Lille, Lille Europe, and Lille Flandres, and both of them are located in ten city centers, at a 400 meters distance from one another. Lille is connected to Uk with Eurostar train service and other cities in France with TGV trains.
Hitchhiking
There are six motorways that can take you to Lille. A1 from Paris, A22 or E17 from Antwerp, Ghent, and Amsterdam, A25 from Dunkerque, A23 from Valenciennes, A27 from Calais, A27 or E42 from Brussels.
So by Hitchhiking, you can easily get to Lille, but do not go Hitchhiking at night if the driver does not seem trustworthy.
Others
You can also reach Lille by metro from the other cities in France. Shuttle service is always available near the stations and bus stops and almost all over the city so that you can get to the town center without any hassle.
Moving Around
Lille is a pleasure to walk around, so you may not feel the need to use any public transport here. About the transport system of Lille, it's pretty good. There are several buses, and trams are also quite active, there is a metro every 15 minutes, and shuttle car service is also active in Lille. Moving around by bike is the most sustainable and eco-friendly way other than walking.
Check out the following list to know more about the transport system of Lille:
Walk
Lille is a beautiful city, and its tourist attractions are not very far away from each other, so walking is a very convenient way to move around the city. Also, it's absolutely environment-friendly, which makes you many steps forward to being a responsible tourist.
Bicycle
There are multiple self-service stations located in Lille and surroundings. Lille is one of the famous cities in France for cycling circles. Their own town bike rental service is V'lille. You can buy a one day pass or a seven-day pass. They give the first free 30 minutes with the pass.
Electronic Vehicles
Electronic Vehicles are not very common in Lille, but now and then, one vehicle can catch your eye from somewhere in the streets.
Public Bus
There are approximately 60 bus routes in Lille. The bus service in Lille is fast, comfortable, and accessible, and also Environment friendly. From 5 am to midnight, this city has active bus services. You can get one in every 15 minutes.
Tram, Train and Subway
Two automatic metro lines are there in Lille. Fun fact, these two automatic metro lines are the world's first automatic subway. You can get the metro every 8 minutes here.
There are two tram lines in Lille, Tram R and Tram T. They cover around 36 stops, serving 9 communes in Lille.
Sustainable Shopping
Maintaining sustainability in shopping in a foreign country is a huge duty of a responsible tourist. You have to keep in mind that everything you buy has good environmental, health, and social impact. As a tourist, sustainable shopping is just a small way to support a city's tourism and its main motives.
Have a look at the shopping malls below as your sustainable shopping destination:
- Nenette de Lille
- Les Cousines de Léon
- Le Gallodrome
- Poppy Milton
- Tilt Vintage
Food Markets
Here are some of the famous food markets of Lille:
- Marché De wazemmes
- Old Lille Market
- Kitchen Market Lille
- Deliroutine Food Market
- Market Lille Gambetta
- Market Lille Moselle
Flea Markets
Braderie de Lille Flea Market is the most anticipated annual two flea market in Lille, and even this is Europe's largest flea market. This flea market dates back to medieval times, and today, almost two million visitors come to visit the market every year on the first weekend of September. Some of the other famous flea markets of Lille include:
- Grande Braderie De Lille
- Stock'n'Brock
- Fournil bio
- Marché Dauphine
- Brussels Vintage Market
- Vanves brocante flea market
Second Hand Stores
Here are a few second-hand stores that Lille has to offer:
- Flea Market
- Funny Vintage
- Cash Converters Lille
- Bon Chic Bonne Grippe
- Nostalgie
Eco-Fashion
There are some great options to choose from the various amazing eco-fashion shops in Lille. some of the famous ones are:
- Ethnique Boutique
- El Market Eco-friendly Shop
- Coco friendly
- Fashion houses Lille-Roubaix
- Faguo Lille
- PIMKIE
Recycling
Eventually, Lille adopted high tech French recycling. And to make sure that the recycling efforts are reaching their anticipated success point, Lille has appointed various French companies to come up with high-tech solutions. They then collect the refuse bins attached with silicon chips to help successfully in the collection and recycling process. More than 1 million people live here in Lille. Two recycle bins are being supplied to everyone resident of the town. The most interesting part is that there are two compartments in both of the bins—the blue bin has two compartments for papers and cardboard and glass, containers, and plastic bottles. The brown one has one compartment for biodegradable waste, and one is for non-recoverable waste.
Waste
Every year tons of waste is produced in the city. To reduce its effect on the environment, a project started in 2017, which aimed to produce heat from waste. As a result, it was seen that the heat produced from the waste could cut the use of heat in every house almost in half. But for the lack of proper planning and other reasons, the project just stopped.
Today, several organizations are taking the lead to reduce the amount of waste in the environment as much as possible.
Work and Study Abroad
With more than 150000 students, Lille is a dynamic student city. The French higher education system runs both private and international study programs every year. You will find several renowned Public Universities and schools, famous for their quality education, a wide range of courses, and several research projects.
There are also several job options in Lille, France, offering you both part-time and full-time jobs with the guarantee of full security and safety.
Exchange Student
Every year, the famous educational institutions of Lille attract hundreds of students from foreign countries. For many years now, their exchange program is running successfully. Some of the most popular Universities here are:
- University of Lille
- Lille Catholic University
- École Centrale De Lille
- ISA Group
- Higher Institute of Electronics and Digital Studies
- School of Advanced Engineering Studies
- Lille 2 University of Health and Law
Au Pair
The concept of Au Pair is not something that is known by everyone. Most people prefer help in their home from neighbors or relatives or at least known persons, instead of from some stranger. But if you contact the local people, then you may find a few Au Pair opportunities.
Volunteering
Lille has the loveliest people who always welcome their tourists with a warm heart. They have no interest in your status, health, or wealth situations, etc. They would like to know if you are ready to volunteer in some of their projects.
As a responsible tourist, it's your duty to participate in at least one volunteering program in the city and leave something behind.