(travel blog)

Lille is a city in the northern part of France, in French Flanders. It will not be difficult for you to come here from Paris – just an hour on the TGV. Lille is one of the largest cities in France with a dynamic urban life, interesting sights and magnificent museums. 2-3 days will be enough for you to see all the sights. As in many big cities, Lille has an old town. In addition to a huge number of buildings of the 18th and 19th centuries, there are countless shops and restaurants that will surprise you with their cuisine. In the Old Town there is a pastry shop Meert (27 Rue Esquermoise), which has existed since 1761! Be sure to try the vanilla waffles that the city is famous for.

A 15-minute walk from the pastry shop is the Palace of Fine Arts. It is the second most important museum in all of France after the Louvre. There are works by such famous artists as Bauts, Bosch, Donatello, Veronese, Rubens, Van Dyck, J. L. David, Delacroix, Goya.

After the museum, you can safely go to the Lille Opera to continue your cultural evening and finish it on a great note.

The next day you can start from the Place de Gaulle. The large square is the heart of Lille, surrounded by majestic Flemish Renaissance and Baroque buildings with neoclassical facades. The square is the center of city life and is filled with cafes and restaurants. In the center of the square, there is a monument in honor of the resistance to the Austrian siege. Continuing the theme of architecture, it is impossible not to recall the Old Stock Exchange. On the south side of the square is the old exchange of the 17th century, which is an example of the Flemish Baroque style. The exchange consists of 24 buildings that surround the Renaissance courtyard.

No less grandiose is the Town Hall, a grandiose Art Deco building built between 1924 and 1932. The main feature of the Town Hall is a high 104-meter tower, which in 2005 was included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. For those who would like to escape from the architecture and cultural environment, there is the largest shopping center in Lille – Euralille. Do not forget about Le Furet du Nord – the largest bookstore in Europe, which impresses with its scale and assortment.

Lille is the city of my dream, and I do recommend you to visit it at least once in your life!