Things to do in Lille

Lille spent centuries as a Flemish and then Spanish trading town before it turned French. The gables on Vieux Lille's streets still say so. The city calls itself the capital of French Flanders, and the description holds up.

Vieux Lille and the Grand'Place

Grand'Place has been a market square since medieval times. It's now named Place du Général-de-Gaulle, and the Vieille Bourse next door encloses 24 identical merchant houses from 1652. Notre-Dame de la Treille took 145 years to finish, its facade only completed in 1999.

• Vieille Bourse. Built 1652-1653 in Flemish Renaissance style; its courtyard now hosts booksellers and chess players.
• Vieux Lille's gables. Flemish step- and scroll-gabled houses line streets like Rue de la Monnaie, too narrow for cars.
• Place aux Oignons. One of the old town's tightest corners, painted facades on every side.

Museums and the citadel

The Palais des Beaux-Arts holds one of the largest art collections in France outside Paris. West of the centre, Vauban's star-shaped Citadelle still stands as he built it, for Louis XIV in 1667. A park wraps around it.

• Palais des Beaux-Arts. Closed Tuesdays, open Monday afternoons only; free on the first Sunday of the month.
• Citadelle Vauban. Built 1667-1670, still an active base; guided tours cover the parts open to visitors.

Estaminets and the Braderie

An estaminet is a small Flemish tavern, dark wood and board games included. Welsh, ham and melted cheese over beer-soaked bread, is the standard order. Maroilles cheese is stronger still.

Once a year, the Braderie takes the whole city. Stallholders have set up here since medieval times, and mussel shells pile up outside every restaurant.

• Estaminets. Flemish taverns scattered through Vieux Lille and Wazemmes, serving Welsh, carbonnade and maroilles tart.
• Braderie de Lille. The first weekend of September, billed as Europe's largest flea market.

Practical

• Weather. Summers stay mild, rarely past 24C, while winter days often sit near 8C with frequent rain; a proper coat matters more than an umbrella.
• Getting there. Paris is about an hour away by TGV, Brussels around forty minutes; the VAL metro, driverless since 1983, covers the rest.
• Tipping. Service is included by law; rounding up or leaving a euro or two for good service is a nice touch, not an expectation.
• Shop hours. Small shops often close Sundays and Monday mornings; big museums and department stores stay open.