Lille – a French city with a Flemish Soul
French city, capital of Nord-Pas-de-Calais region, located a short distance from the border with Belgium, two hours drive from Paris. Welcome to Lille, one of the most popular tourist destinations in France thanks to its incredible range of attractions, activities and events.
Its name means Island in Dutch, due to its location in the middle of river Deûle. Flemish, Burgundian, then Spanish before becoming French, Lille has much to offer and walking through its streets you will be amazed by the richness of its architectural heritage and its cultural life. European Capital of Culture in 2004, Lille is proud of its traditions, and endows a unique mixture of Flemish joviality and French elegance.
The main attraction of Lille is its old city – Vieux Lille, a mixture of French and Flemish classical buildings and boasting a lively yet relaxed atmosphere. True center of local life is the Grand Place – or better, the Place Général de Gaulle. Meeting and market place for locals and tourists, it has lost none of its original function in time. Even today, this is where people gather to celebrate or socialize and especially to go shopping. As soon as the weather gets fine, the terraces of restaurants and bars fill with people. The houses that overlook the Grand Place form a frame of different architectural styles which however maintain their own harmony.
Worthy of note is also the Vieille Bourse, one of the most beautiful buildings of the city and a perfect example of Flemish Baroque, made up of 24 houses with sloping ceilings and beautifully carved. Nearby you can admire the Palais Rihour, and especially the Beffroi – the tower of the Civic Hall – declared World heritage by UNESCO in 2005, and which is a symbol of communal freedom, but also a landmark for the city’s inhabitants.
In addition to its cultural soul, Lille also knows how to have fun. It is a university town, and as such it has many casual cafes and bars, nightclubs and places to eat, especially in the city centre and towards Rue Gambetta. With regards to the major festivals, Lille organizes the Braderie, one of the most cheerful celebrations in Europe, where anyone can sell their wares on the street. It is an extra-large flea market, a real institution that attracts tourists from all over Europe.
And if all of a sudden you get hungry after running miles of stalls, just stop at one of the numerous restaurants in Lille, to taste some culinary specialties such as carbonnade flamande, a delicious stew cooked in beer or potjevleesch, or the terrine of white meat in jelly, maybe accompanied by a good craft beer!
Photo by ** Maurice **
About the Author
Andrea Guerriero Hi, I'm Andrea, a travel blogger, web programmer, seo apprentice and amateur photographer based in Milan. I love reading, I love music. I love to travel but only if I leave on a mission! I've been traveling through most of Europe and I love writing about it. I love photography, especially as a way to document experiences, places, events. My Nikon D300 camera is always with me, and it helps me in sharing my life with the rest of the world. Getting in touch with new people, different life styles and foreign traditions, and write about it, is all I can ask for.
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