Places to visit near Lille?

[Citybreak1]

I visit Lille soon is there anything with visiting out of town by Meteo or local train? I’ve been twice before and looking to expand on things outside the city. The zoo appears to be closed the day I go. Been to the football stadium once too. Anywhere else I could visit close by?

 

[STEVIEBOY1]

Amiens, Arras, the latter is quite an interesting place with two large Town squares with plenty of eating and drinking places, just to watch he world go by.

 

[Beebman]

If you fancy a short international journey you could be in Kortrijk in Belgium in about 40 minutes from Lille - likewise it has eating and drinking places, and the large Grote Markt square is worth a visit.

 

[dutchflyer]

Other cities-like Arras mentioned or Kortrijk/BE or f.e. Valenciennes all more or less have the same as Lille also has: a kind of partly still medieval -nice gables, market place, cloth hall-old town centre. The difference between them all is rather small. A bit more tourist drawer is Brugge -as it is a little more authentic and has canals-the larger Gent has the same and is more a living city, also becse of a large uni. On the way to BE on train you pass Roubaix and Tourcoing still in FR and also having a tramway from Lille (with flat urban fares-very cheap). On the coast you can go a few times/day on the Local TGV (2€surcharge) to Duinkerken/Dunkirk and/or Calais, both have FREE urban bussystems.
I would not venture that much out of town-buy a day or 24 hr ticket and go explore-use those trams or the driverless VAL-minimetro-if architecture is your thing, that metro links to a few ´new towns´ and see how they differ from the British concept of that. The urban area that it covers is quite wide.

 

[MarcVD]

Roubaix is an interesting place. It has an old swimming pool that has been converted into a very eclectic art museum, as well as another one showing the history of the weaving industry, with all sorts of machines used for that in the last millennium.

 

[D6130]

Roubaix is an interesting place. It has an old swimming pool that has been converted into a very eclectic art museum, as well as another one showing the history of the weaving industry, with all sorts of machines used for that in the last millennium.

Roubaix and Tourcoing remind me very much of West Yorkshire textile towns/cities which have fallen on hard times over the past 50-60 years, but are now being slowly regenerated and have a lot to offer in terms of industrial archaeology and associated museums. The hotels in both towns are much cheaper than those in Lille and are worth considering for commuting into that city either by train or tram. An interesting railway quirk is that the Lille-Roubaix-Tourcoing-Mouscron (BE) line was electrified on the cheap some years ago using single trolley wire catenary, which limits electric trains to about 40 km/h or 25 mph, IIRC. Therefore, if you catch a Tourcoing - Paris TGV, the first part of the journey into Lille Flandres seems like an interminable trundle.

 

[W-on-Sea]

Agree that Roubaix, and "La Piscine" art gallery (which also has an exhibition of the town's cotton-milling history) is worth a visit. The town is twinned with Bradford, but reminds me more, in appearance and to some extent in character, of smaller run-down mill-towns in West Yorkshire. It's interesting to see the townscapes travelling on the tram to there from Lille.

There's also a fascinating art gallery, LaM, Lille Métropole Musée d'art moderne, d'art contemporain et d'art brut, (specifically the section devoted to "outsider art", or "art brut" - by non-professional artists, autistic savants and some mentally ill people) at Villeneuve-d'Ascq, which is also in the greater Lille conurbation (I think a combination of metro and bus will get you there from the city).

The collection of medieval art in the Palais des Beaux-Arts in Lille itself is rather excellent too.

Plus, you can always eat mussels and drink some decent beers, even without needing to cross the Belgian border.

 

[duncanp]

If the weather is nice, a walk around the Lac Du Heron in Villeneuve D'Ascq is worth it

Trace GPS Le tour des lacs - Villeneuve-d'Ascq, itinéraire, parcours

Randonnée en boucle depuis Villeneuve-d'Ascq. #Randonnée #Boucle

fr-fr.gps-viewer.com

gives a map of the route, and Ilevia bus no 34 runs along Rue Du 8 Mai 1945 from the Pont De Bois metro station on Line 1.

The Foret De Phalempin is also good for walking, and the station at Phalempin is 20 minutes from the Gare Lille Flandres.

 

[rvdborgt]

An interesting railway quirk is that the Lille-Roubaix-Tourcoing-Mouscron (BE) line was electrified on the cheap some years ago using single trolley wire catenary, which limits electric trains to about 40 km/h or 25 mph, IIRC. Therefore, if you catch a Tourcoing - Paris TGV, the first part of the journey into Lille Flandres seems like an interminable trundle.

The maximum speed between Mouscron in Belgium and Lille is 100 km/h, until the point where you turn right to go into Lille Flandres.
Nevertheless, it does indeed feel like an interminable trundle.

 

[D6130]

The maximum speed between Mouscron in Belgium and Lille is 100 km/h, until the point where you turn right to go into Lille Flandres.
Nevertheless, it does indeed feel like an interminable trundle.

Thanks for that clarification. It seemed much slower to me, but perhaps we were following a local train.

 

[Citybreak1]

I sadly never ventured further than the new out of town mall. I seen the metro ran to Tourcoing? I was going to pop into Brussels but the trains end early at night. I think Brussels seems a better base for international travel. Also from Paris Switzerland can also be reached. But next time I visit Lille I plan to visit some of those smaller towns as metro seems quite good.

 

[riceuten]

There is (allegedly) Europe's largest bookshop ("La Furet du Nord") on the main square - Place Charles de Gaulle, but known to everyone as the "Grand'Place". The English language section is as big as some bookshops in the UK.

There's a fascinating street market 3 days a week at Wazemmes. Ride the driverless metro there (and to Tourcoing/Roubaix - the metro's terminus is about 300m from the Belgian border).

There is a restaurant district on the Rue de Gand which has plentiful decent eateries. Don't miss the chance to have Carbonnade Flamande (if you're not a veggie), which is a local speciality.

If you can swing it, the Vauban Fortress can be toured on Sundays, bookable at the tourist office. The same park contains the Zoo, and is worth a visit on its own.

 

[Nicholas43]

All this makes me long to revisit Lille and Roubaix. What's the least-bad way of getting there from England? I detest the queuing and faff at St Pancras. I won't use P&O. Am I right in thinking that I can only cycle (not walk) to board a DFDS ferry to Calais or Dunkerque? How much faff is there to board a train from Lille to London?

 

[riceuten]

The other way of doing this is to take the coach from Victoria, who (sometimes) take the Eurotunnel. BlaBlaCar Bus and Flixbus operate this route, sometimes for as little as €18 one way. Between 6 to 8 hours travel time, though

Lille Europe station is huge, but the Eurostar area is relatively small, and providing there's no "mouvement sociale" (strike to you and I) is usually pretty quick. The only downside is often people are in your seats when the train arrives, as they've decided they don't like their allocated seat. I had this once, and the man said "Go and find a seat elsewhere", to which I answered "No, YOU go and find a seat elsewhere", and then he rather lamely said "There's someone else sat in my seat now" - "NOT my problem" I responded.

I was pleasantly surprised when we travelled back Standard Premier to London from Lille (for a massive additional €10pp) that they'd kept 2 meals back for us, and we both blagged an additional 2 coffees.

 

[Birkonian]

Cassel is 40 mins by train from Lille Flandres. A beautiful small hilltop town with great views over Flanders. Excellent restaurants and good beer bars.

 

[duncanp]

All this makes me long to revisit Lille and Roubaix. What's the least-bad way of getting there from England? I detest the queuing and faff at St Pancras. I won't use P&O. Am I right in thinking that I can only cycle (not walk) to board a DFDS ferry to Calais or Dunkerque? How much faff is there to board a train from Lille to London?

Despite all the queuing at St Pancras, Eurostar is still the least bad way of getting there if you are starting out from London, or indeed anywhere within travelling distance of St Pancras or Kings Cross. If you can, I would advise travelling midweek, or outside of the main holiday periods.

As mentioned above, there are several coach services from Victoria Coach Station in London.

There are no direct flights (that I am aware of) to Lille from any UK airport, so if flying you would have to get to Paris (Charles De Gaulle) and then take a TGV. Or you could fly to Brussels, take a train to Brussels Midi and then a TGV.

There is much less formality when taking the Eurostar from Lille to London. Check in usually opens 1 hour before departure, and the queues aren't as long as at St Pancras, Paris Gare Du Nord and Brussels Midi. There are not many facilities in the post security departure lounge, but you are not generally there for very long. About 15 minutes before the train is due to arrive, you are allowed to go down from the departure lounge to the platform.

There are cross border bus services from Roubaix and Tourcoing to Mouscron, and from Armentieres to Ploegsteert, Messines and Ieper (Ypres)

There are other bus services that go right to the border at Comines and Halluin.

https://www.ilevia.fr/cms/institutionnel/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2022/08/01_PlanRESEAU-29aout2022_WEB.pdf

is a map of the local transport network.

 

[MarcVD]

There are cross border bus services from Roubaix and Tourcoing to Mouscron, and from Armentieres to Ploegsteert, Messines and Ieper (Ypres)

There are other bus services that go right to the border at Comines and Halluin.

https://www.ilevia.fr/cms/institutionnel/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2022/08/01_PlanRESEAU-29aout2022_WEB.pdf

is a map of the local transport network.

Plus two trains to Belgium every hour.

 

[D6130]

Cassel is 40 mins by train from Lille Flandres. A beautiful small hilltop town with great views over Flanders. Excellent restaurants and good beer bars.

Fun fact of the day: Cassel is the place where the 'Grand Old' Duke of York marched his men to the top of the hill and marched them down again. Seriously though, I would fully endorse @ Birkonian 's recommendation, although the uphill walk from the station is not for the unfit or faint-hearted. There are buses every-so-often, but they don't always connect with the trains.

 

[duncanp]

Fun fact of the day: Cassel is the place where the 'Grand Old' Duke of York marched his men to the top of the hill and marched them down again. Seriously though, I would fully endorse @ Birkonian 's recommendation, although the uphill walk from the station is not for the unfit or faint-hearted. There are buses every-so-often, but they don't always connect with the trains.

The station which is named "Cassel" is quite some distance from the town.

Buses no 905 and 927 run from the Gare SNCF at Hazebrouck, but timetables are geared to people travelling in the opposite direction, and not day trippers from Lille.

Arc en Ciel arcenciel1

arcenciel.hautsdefrance.fr

 

[johncrossley]

https://www.ilevia.fr/cms/institutionnel/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2022/08/01_PlanRESEAU-29aout2022_WEB.pdf

is a map of the local transport network.

Fun names for bus stops in Tourcoing. Bradford, Rochdale, Florence, Calais, Amsterdam.

The metro also goes right to the border, so you could probably walk into Mouscron from there.

 

[STEVIEBOY1]

Fun names for bus stops in Tourcoing. Bradford, Rochdale, Florence, Calais, Amsterdam.

The metro also goes right to the border, so you could probably walk into Mouscron from there.


View attachment 123233

Ha Ha, I have noticed in other French Towns / Cities, the unusual, to us, names of Metro etc stops. I suppose some of the above could be historic references re the 2 WWs ?

 

[johncrossley]

Ha Ha, I have noticed in other French Towns / Cities, the unusual, to us, names of Metro etc stops. I suppose some of the above could be historic references re the 2 WWs ?

Rochdale is twinned with Tourcoing. Perhaps there is a connection regarding the industrial revolution, which would also include Bradford?

 

[duncanp]

Fun names for bus stops in Tourcoing. Bradford, Rochdale, Florence, Calais, Amsterdam.

The metro also goes right to the border, so you could probably walk into Mouscron from there.


View attachment 123233

There is a bus service from the metro terminus at CH Dron which crosses the border at Neuville en Ferrain and then goes on to Mouscron.

Ha Ha, I have noticed in other French Towns / Cities, the unusual, to us, names of Metro etc stops. I suppose some of the above could be historic references re the 2 WWs ?

There is one stop on route L99 from the metro at St Philibert to Armentieres that is called Fleur D'Ecosse, which translates as Flower of Scotland, but I doubt whether that has anything to do with the song.

 

[D6130]

Rochdale is twinned with Tourcoing. Perhaps there is a connection regarding the industrial revolution, which would also include Bradford?

Tourcoing is twinned with Rochdale and Roubaix is twinned with Bradford.

 

[Gordon]

Agree that Roubaix, and "La Piscine" art gallery (which also has an exhibition of the town's cotton-milling history) is worth a visit. The town is twinned with Bradford, but reminds me more, in appearance and to some extent in character, of smaller run-down mill-towns in West Yorkshire. It's interesting to see the townscapes travelling on the tram to there from Lille.

There's also a fascinating art gallery, LaM, Lille Métropole Musée d'art moderne, d'art contemporain et d'art brut, (specifically the section devoted to "outsider art", or "art brut" - by non-professional artists, autistic savants and some mentally ill people) at Villeneuve-d'Ascq, which is also in the greater Lille conurbation (I think a combination of metro and bus will get you there from the city).

The collection of medieval art in the Palais des Beaux-Arts in Lille itself is rather excellent too.

Plus, you can always eat mussels and drink some decent beers, even without needing to cross the Belgian border.

The best thing in the Palais des Beaux Arts is the collection of relief models of Vauban fortress towns, made over 300 years ago. Unbelievably accurate models made so long ago you can't comprehend (they are like miniature versions of the sort of thing to be seen at Pendon museum.)

Ha Ha, I have noticed in other French Towns / Cities, the unusual, to us, names of Metro etc stops. I suppose some of the above could be historic references re the 2 WWs ?

I can't really see what is unusual about street names being named after towns and cities. For example, in close proximity to each other in the London Borough of Ealing can be found Edinburgh Road, Salisbury Road, Sydney Road, Midhurst Road, Boston Road...

 

[ex-railwayman]

I enjoyed a long weekend visit to Lille many years ago, lots of really quaint small cobbled streets around the old town, depends on what public places have re-opened since the Covid pandemic, you won't be far from any drinking establishments and Restaurants serving authentic Flemish cuisine, they take their cooking seriously over there. I didn't venture far away, the train services were quite good, but, not many people spoke English surprisingly enough, or, they didn't want to communicate with an Englishman, possibly more the reason, how's your French?

Cheerz. Steve.

 

[riceuten]

Not many people spoke English surprisingly enough, or, they didn't want to communicate with an Englishman, possibly more the reason, how's your French?

It's not massively different to a French speaker in Dover. I speak reasonable French, and I usually can get by in English if they don't understand me. It's important you start a conversation off there with a "Bonjour" or better " Bonour, est-ce que vous parlez Anglais?" - I'm not stereotyping here but the French find that really irritating about the English, that they often immediately launch into English language with no greeting or attempt to speak their language.

Imagine someone stopped you and started immediately speaking French to you. The idea that French people "pretend not to speak English" as some allege is just ridiculous.

If you're desperate, younger people tend to speak better English than their older comrades.

 

[ex-railwayman]

I speak reasonable French, and I usually can get by in English if they don't understand me. It's important you start a conversation off there with a "Bonjour" or better " Bonour, est-ce que vous parlez Anglais?" - I'm not stereotyping here but the French find that really irritating about the English, that they often immediately launch into English language with no greeting or attempt to speak their language.

Oh, I quite agree, and it's not just in France, it's global. I've been embarrassed on several occassions abroad where you see fellow Brits who demand that the natives speak English to them because they can't be bothered to learn a few words of their language, it makes my blood boil.
Anyway, sounds as though you know more French than I, my knowledge is schoolboy French from well over 50 year's ago, so, I'm sure you get by far better than me. And yes, students, schoolchildren and youngsters around the world speak very good English, better than us at times. English as a second language is taught in many Schools around the world these days, from South America to the Far East.

Cheerz. Steve.

 

[duncanp]

I enjoyed a long weekend visit to Lille many years ago, lots of really quaint small cobbled streets around the old town, depends on what public places have re-opened since the Covid pandemic, you won't be far from any drinking establishments and Restaurants serving authentic Flemish cuisine, they take their cooking seriously over there. I didn't venture far away, the train services were quite good, but, not many people spoke English surprisingly enough, or, they didn't want to communicate with an Englishman, possibly more the reason, how's your French?

Cheerz. Steve.

In the centre of Lille, pretty much every restaurant and bar you go into will have someone who can speak at least a few words of English, even if it is only "...small, medium, large..." in response to your request "..une biere s''il vous plait..".

But it is a lot easier to communicate if you have at least a few words of French.

My experience is that if you start the conversation in French, they can tell from your accent that you are English, and they will often reply in English.

Or as happened at one restaurant, I asked for a table for one in French, they replied in French, and then brought me the English version of the menu.