Europe,  France,  Travel

Lille, Ma Ville

June 28, 2019 /

I lived in Lille, France for 8 months between 2016-2017 while I was a Teaching Assistant.  Lille is the capital of Hauts-de-France, the northernmost region of France. This region is relatively new, combining the two former regions of Nord-Pas-de-Calais and Picardy.  Lille is specifically located in French Flanders, close to the France/Belgium border.  

When applying to the TAPIF program, candidates select three of their top choices of regions where they hope to be assigned.  Luckily for me, I wasn’t assigned to any of my choices!  I was assigned to the Lille region, and I immediately fell in love with it!  The city has so much charm! 

There is a lot to see and do when exploring Lille.  Below are some of the main areas to visit in the city:

Grand Place

Grand Place is an absolute must-visit. This square in the heart of Lille is home to a lot of shops and restaurants, and is often filled with performers or locals socializing.  In the winter, the square has a Christmas market complete with a giant Ferris Wheel that boasts a great view over the city.

Grand Place Lille | Adventures with Shelby

I spent a lot of time in this square – shopping, running errands, eating out. The square connects back toward the train station and Lille Centre through a pedestrian-only road lined with shops.  If there is one thing that Lille is lacking, it is absolutely not shopping areas!

Vieille Bourse

Vieille Bourse, the former Chamber of Commerce and Industry building, is one of the most prominent buildings in the main square.  It joins Grand Place to the Place du Théâtre.  The courtyard inside has vendor tables with books, posters, and random trinkets – open every day except for Monday!

Place du Théâtre

Place du Theatre is the square in front of the Opera de Lille. It is right beside Grand Place facing Gare de Lille Flandres, one of Lille’s main train stations (not to be mistaken for Gare Lille Europe – just 1 kilometer away, past the Euralille shopping center).

While walking through Place du Theatre, you may notice something if you look closely to the surrounding buildings. There are several cannon balls embedded in the facade of two buildings!  There are several different stories about where these came from, but the online consensus is that they are from an Austrian invasion in 1792. One cannonball has even been painted to look like a boob!

Vieux Lille

Vieux Lille, or Old Town is one of my favorite parts of the city.  The winding cobble streets have so much character.  This is also where most of the fun bars are!

There is (yet more!) shopping opportunity in Vieux Lille along Rue de la Monnaie, which encircles the back of Cathedral Notre-Dame de la Treille. This unique cathedral has a modern facade in the front, but also has some traditional gothic features. The construction spanned nearly 150 years, from 1854-1999!  Notre-Dame de la Treille is the patron saint of the city.

There are many restaurants with outdoor seating facing the Cathedral, and L’Imaginaire off of Rue de la Monnaie has a patio out back that opens up behind the church.

Citadelle de Lille

Citadelle de Lille is right beside Vieux Lille.  This is a very popular location for runners and dog walkers because there is a long path encircling the Citadelle.  

The surrounding park includes a zoo (free admission!) and a park with rides and games for children.  The area is absolutely buzzing on sunny days, with nearly the whole city flocking to the green areas for picnics!

Palais des Beaux-Arts

Palais des Beaux-Arts is stunning both inside and out.  The facade was under renovation while I was living there, but I could still see the architecture from the exposed sides.  This museum is a must-visit, with a stunning collection of sculptures, paintings, prints, drawings, and plans-reliefs. 

Beffroi de Lille

The Hôtel de Ville (city hall) in Lille is complete with a belfry, which is iconic of the region.  The Beffroi de Lille is actually the tallest civil belfry in Europe. The style is quite different to the belfry of the Chamber of Commerce in Place du Theatre.

There are sculptures of two giants on either side of a fleur-de-lis at the base of the belfry. Lydéric and Phinaert are characters from folklore of the foundation of the city. The belfry is a UNESCO world heritage site. 

Tickets to visit and climb the belfry can be purchased online or at the belfry itself – there is information inside about the history of the building and city.  The belfry boasts a wonderful view over the city and of the intricate Porte de Paris.

Lille will always have a special place in my heart!  It was my home away from home.  

 

Lille, France | Adventures with Shelby

XoXo

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17 Comments

  • missteacupxo

    August 26, 2019 at 10:25 am

    Wow! What an experience you must have had in France. So beautiful! The photos are incredible and I hope one day maybe I can make it to a place as beautiful as that. Thanks for sharing!

  • Goldie Fox Creative | Shelley Smith

    August 26, 2019 at 12:14 pm

    I’m astounded by the history and the beauty! It looks like you had a lovely trip. I’ve always wanted to visit France. The Palais des Beaux-Arts has to be my favorite!

  • Luna S

    August 28, 2019 at 3:53 pm

    The architect is gorgeous, I love seeing photos of these old buildings. It looks like you visited many gorgeous sites during your trip! Thanks for sharing them with us.

  • Rudy

    August 28, 2019 at 10:58 pm

    A cannon boob? lol. France is one of the many places I have yet to see. Your pictures compliment your story wonderfully. Perhaps Lille, Ma Ville is a destination we shall seek.

  • Polly Amora

    August 30, 2019 at 11:16 am

    Some people assume that Paris (or the Eiffel tower) is all that France has to offer. France has tons of beautiful places to visit. When I traveled to France last May, I actually avoided Paris (lmao!). I went to Nice and Fatima instead – these places are lesser known but they’re just as gorgeous. This is the first time that I’ve seen someone post about Lille, if I’ve seen this sooner I would have traveled here instead. I am a fan of art and beautiful architectures, Palais des Beaux-Arts is definitely a must-visit for me. Thank you so so much for posting this! I think I know where I am going next year. <3

  • Meriam Bouarrouj

    June 28, 2020 at 8:34 pm

    Hi Shelby, with regards to the Teaching Assistant program, were the schools you worked at right in the city of Lille or nearby? I have been accepted to the Académie of Lille. Very excited! Hoping to be very near Lille. Thanks for sharing your experience and beautiful photos!