How to spend one day in Lille France
On our way to Paris we stop by the city of Lille. Located in northern France, near the border of Belgium, Lille is a cultural hub and bustling university city.
The historic center, Vieux Lille, is characterized by 17th-century brick town houses, cobblestone streets and the large central square, called the Grand Place, which is a great place to people watch.
Traditionally a trading and textile city, Lille maintains its reputation of having a big shopping culture, which makes it a great day trip for people who love to shop! On the blog I will share how to spend one day in Lille France.
This post may contain affiliate links. Affiliate links are no extra charge to you, but I may earn a small commission if you choose to make a purchase.
How to get to Lille France
Travel to Lille is easy by train or by car. A drive from Paris to Lille is just a little over two hours, and just under two hours by train.
Coming from Brussels to Lille by car is an easy journey, coming in under an hour and a half.
You can easily see most of Lilles main attractions in one day, which makes it a perfect layover coming from London via Eurostar. It’s an easy journey by train from London to Lille.
Here are some tour ideas for Lille France:
How many days in Lille
We spent one day in Lille France and felt it was the perfect amount of time to explore the city. We didn’t visit any of the museums during our day trip, but you can also spend a weekend in Lille to further explore all there is to see in this underrated city in France. If you’re short on time then one day is enough to sightsee Lille.
Top things to do in Lille France
Visit the Cathedral Notre Dame de la Treille
Lille is a compact city, and you can easily explore most of Lille France points of interest on foot.There are a few places worth highlighting on your sightseeing tour of Lille, one in particular is the Lille Cathedral, or the Cathédrale Notre Dame de la Treille.
The Cathedral is a Roman Catholic church and basilica and is considered a national monument. It’s mixture of modern and old makes it one of the most unique churches we’ve seen.
Once you enter the church, you are just blown away at its clean and modern architecture, with bits and pieces of history here and there.It was absolutely beautiful and quite unexpected! Definitely a must see on your day trip to Lille France.
Visit the Église Saint-Maurice
Make sure to visit the Église Saint-Maurice church in Lille. This church is located on rue de Paris, in the historic centre of Lille.
Its construction began at the end of the 14th century and completed at the end of the 19th century. One of the highlights of the church are the beautiful stained glass, and paintings by Lille artists dating from the 17th and 18th centuries.
Stroll through the La Vieille Bourse
Take a stroll to La Vieille Bourse, located right between two picturesque squares, Place du Général-de-Gaulle and Place du theatre.
Built in 1652, it was once an old stock exchange, today you will find booksellers and flower markets in the inner court.
Take a stroll along the Vieux Lille
On your day trip to Lille, take a stroll through the cobblestone streets of the old quarter, known as Vieux Lille.
Lille features an array of architectural styles, with some Belgian influence, including the use of brown and red brick.
Some of the most notable buildings can be found on the Grand Place and it’s absolutely beautiful!
People watch at Place du General-de-Gaulle
Place du Général-de-Gaulle is Lille’s main square. Also known as the Grand Place, the square has many beautiful historic houses, many of which are fine examples of Flemish Renaissance architecture.
The Grand place in Lille is the perfect meeting place. One of the best things to do on your day trip to Lille is to just sit in one of the cafes in the square and people watch.
There’s nothing like sipping some coffee, admiring the beauty that surrounds you when traveling Europe.
Go shopping in Lille
Shopping in Lille is one of the top things to do when visiting this city in France. Here you will find a variety of designer shops and gourmet restaurants.
Some of the more notable shopping streets can be found at Rue de la Monnaie and Rue Esquermoise.
This is where you can find high end goods housed in some of the most beautiful and historic buildings.
Place du Theatre
On your sightseeing tour of Lille, you will come across Place du Theatre, which houses the fully restored Opera.
You can catch a concert, theatre and ballet all year round. We simply enjoyed sitting on the steps while our little one enjoyed blowing bubbles.
Where to eat
We enjoyed a meal at Hippopotamus Steak house. We ordered the steak and frites, and fish and chips and it was delicious. They also have a kids menu, and is a perfect dining spot for families.
Don’t forget to pick up some pastries at the Paul cafe. They have a great selection on sandwiches, and baked goods.
You can also find a Starbucks here if you collect the You are here Starbucks mugs!
Lille is definitely one of the most underated cities in France. I hope this Lille travel guide inspires you to visit some of the lesser known cities on your next trip to Europe.
Read more about our road trips through France, as well as our European adventures.
Book your hotel in Lille France here:
Booking.comFind more Tours and Activities in Lille France here:
SAVE ON PINTEREST FOR LATER!
Disclaimer: Skylar Arias Adventures is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com and its partners. Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. These links are no extra charge to you, but I may earn a small commission if you choose to make a purchase.
