It may not be the most obvious pick as a summer break but the French city of Lille really does make for a fascinating and enjoyable destination.
The city is sometimes overshadowed by other places in France, not least Paris, of course and, possibly, a city that you might normally pass through, either on the train to Brussels/London or car to the south of France.
If so, that would be a shame because it had a great mix of things to do and see and is well worth a short break this summer (or any time).
A spot of history
First, it is worth placing all this in a historical context because Lille has a fascinating back story.
The first written record of Lille dates from 1066 no less (a famous historical date for the English) when it was, in fact, a port. The word Lille comes from “Isla” a word derived from the Latin “Insula”, meaning “island” in the Middle Ages.
Lille was part of the County of Flanders but it later came under the rule of the House of Bergundy and, moving on, it later became known as the “Spanish Netherlands.”
The city and surrounding areas were severely damaged during the two world wars when France was occupied.
Things took a turn for the worse again in the 1980s when the industrial crisis hit the local business sector particularly hard, especially the textile industry.
The city set upon a major re-set, focussing on developing the service sector. The launch of the Lille-Paris high speed rail link in 1993 and arrival of the Eurostar in 1994 restored the city to its hitherto prominent position at the heart of 3 European capitals (Paris, London and Brussels).
Today, Lille is France’s third largest metropolitan area, was designated a “tourist resort”in 2001 and named European Capital of Culture three years later.
Things to do
You certainly won’t be short of interesting and entertaining things to keep you occupied on any visit to Lille.
One such activity is seeing the city from the back of an old style Citroen 2CV convertible.
You can sit back and enjoy the sights from the comfort of this iconic French car while a very informative guide tells you about the city, past and current.
You’ll discover the history and architecture of the city, along with fascinating anecdotes about Lille’s must-see monuments and streets will discover the history and architecture of the city, along with fascinating anecdotes about Lille’s must-see monuments and streets.
One such story is about the “smell” it seems some people encounter here. The guide explains the reason for this, saying it dates to the Middle Ages when the city, a bit like Bruges today, had a lot of canals.
The problem is that lots of people used these to deposit raw sewage, as did local industry. It was partly for this reason that the canals were filled in but the dampness and humidity under some buildings, even today, sometimes causes a bit of, shall we say, a noxious smell.
As our well informed and cheerful guide explained, it is most certainly not the locals who smell, then, but something that be attributed to the goings on in less environmental-friendly times several centuries ago.
Another lovely way of experiencing at least part of Lille is via a short boat trip on the local Deule river. It starts one of the city’s famous landmarks, the Citadelle, a base still for the French army and, as such, off limits to the public. But the surrounding park is delightful and makes for a pleasant start for the one hour boat trip which introduces you to all manner of things en route.
This includes info about some of the aquatic species that are now, it seems, returning to local waters but past areas that are reminders of the crucial part this city has played as an important French port and trading centre.It is a reminder of how the waterways were once a vital means of transporting goods.
You also visit a pleasant little quay which is now home to house boats and some chic restos. Before returning to base you’ll also catch a glimpse of a lock that dates from the 1960s and, at sine 145m long (with a depth of 4m) must be one of the longest in the entire country.
Back on “dry land”, there is at least one other terrific attraction you should try on any visit here…. and something entirely different.
It is a virtual reality activity called Eclipso and the routine looking entrance to it in the city centre does not really prepare, certainly any first time visitor, for what is to follow.
This is an authentic and immersive experience that is the result of much in-depth research and planning.
The story of a Roman boy called Flamma is one of the “shows” currently available (others are about the Titanic and International Space Station).
The “Colosseum” experience, like the others, lasts about 40 minutes and is a remarkably impressive virtual reality reconstruction of how Rome looked around the time of the gladiators.
Once your special headset is in place you get to wander, freely, around a 70 square metre room and interact with some “objects”.
“Colosseum”, launched six months ago, took some four months to create and is the result of painstaking research. The end product is great: you really do feel as though you are inside one of the wonders of the world and a gripping narrative keeps you fully engaged throughout.
The studio where it (and all this) is put together is based in Paris. The company behind the idea was set up three years ago and there are now several Eclipso’s in different cities, both in France and elsewhere. For Belgian fans of such things the good news is that there are tentative plans, it seems, to open on in Brussels in the near future.
Those experiencing this for the first time, like this writer, are advised that the experience may take 2 or 3 minutes to adjust to but it is great fun and very, very clever.
Sarah, among the team at the Lille venue, said, “It is relatively new but it is working well. We get a lot of word-of-mouth recommendations.”
Getting around is easy and worth noting the Lille metro was the world’s 1st automated underground system when it opened in 1983.
Eating out
It is always pleasant to sample the local fayre and, here, Lille not only will most certainly not disappoint but, to some, may come as a bit of a surprise.
The reason is that, as with quite of things in this city, the cuisine in local eateries has a really distinctive Belgian – Flemish if truth be told – flavour.
Lille, which local promotional material refers to as the “capital of Flanders”, is home to numerous estaminets, the timeless welcoming traditional restaurants.
With brick walls, hops handing from the ceiling, collections of old coffee pots and candles on the tables, the décor is full of charm.
Lille’s cuisine is both flavoursome and heart and draws on an exceptional produce: beer, Maroilles cheese (an AOP designation from the 10th century, endives and brown sugar made from sugar beet.
Another local tradition will resonate with Welsh people. It is actually called le Welsh – bread topped with melted Cheddar cheese and local beer, then baked until golden. According to legend, Welsh soldiers stationed near Boulogne-sur-Mer during the seige of the town in 1544 came up with this recipe using their leftover cheddar, stale bread and beer.
What else to do?
Lille has really super shops and is worth a visit for these alone but there’s much else.
Its war past is never far away – the North was under the command of Brussels from June 1940- and there are numerous fortifications, battle sites, military cemeteries and memorials in the area.
The Greater Lille area has no less than 7 belfries, built between 1883 and 1934. At 104m tall, the Town Hall in Lille is the tallest municipal building in France.
Old Lille is a real delight and a must see. This neighbourhood, with its cobbled streets and small shops, once formed the historic Flemish town and has retained the winding layout of its medieval streets.
The city is France’s third largest financial centre after Paris and Lyon and the Euralille project symbolises the strides it has made in reinventing itself.
Events in the 2nd half of 2026
There’s no shortage of these, for sure.
The Lille Braderie, dates back to the Middle Ages and takes place on the first weekend in September, continuing a tradition dating back nearly 900 years.
It is a 90km long flea market and car boot stalls which attracts some 2 million visitors .. in just two days.Beer has been celebrated at the Biere a Lille festival in mid November since 2017. It is ranked among the top three beer events in France. Held at the end of the same month at Saint Sauveur Station the Welsh Festival celebrates the local speciality. With the season soon to start, football fans might like to take in a home game of the Dogues, the city’s iconic football team.
If time, visit the Palais des Beaux-arts of Lille, the 2nd largest museum in France no less.
For the curious , Lille has a monument dedicated to carrier pigeons, at the entrance of Lille Zoo and you might like to know also that D’Artagnan, the character portrayed in Duma’s The Three Musketeers, was one, though only for 8 months, governor of Lille.
Loads of great info, advice etc is available at the well appointed tourist office, staffed by very friendly people, located at the heart of the city at Pl. Rihour.
Getting to Lille from Belgium could not be easier – it is just over an hour’s drive or so from Brussels – and this terrific city makes for a smashing short break this summer…… or anytime of the year.
Further info
https://www.tradibalade.com/
https://eclipso-entertainment.com/lille/contact/
https://booking.lilletourism.com/scenic-boat-tour.html
https://www.lilletourism.com/
