# A weekend in Lille > Wanting to get away from Paris a bit after lockdown ended, we took the chance of my birthday to organise a weekend in Lille! Source: https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/en/blog/weekend-in-lille/ Published on 21 June 2020 Wanting to get away from Paris a bit after lockdown ended, we took the chance of my birthday to organise a **weekend in Lille**! It is the ideal destination for two days only an hour by train from Paris Gare du Nord and we had never been there before. The [return trip by TGV](https://fnty.co/c/r-pvIRuduo) cost us 36.50€ per person (from Friday midday to Sunday midday). > **Note** > > there are two main stations in Lille, Lille-Europe (the biggest and most modern but also the furthest away) and Lille Flandres (closer to the city centre). ## What to see in Lille ### Around the Citadel of Lille For our first evening in Lille, we decided to go to the **Citadel of Lille**, located north-west of the city centre. From our flat, we took the **square Foch** which led us to the **quai du Wault**, a basin around which there are a few restaurants. Before crossing the **Moyenne-Deûle canal**, we first walked in the **Jardin Vauban**, a small English-style park with a grotto and a lake. At the end of the park, you can then take the footbridge to get to the other side of the bank, by the zoological park. From there, we followed the Citadel, along the **voie des Combattants**. This path laid out for walkers and cyclists goes around the Citadel of Lille and its moats. We felt like we were deep in the countryside, and not at all in the middle of Lille: we really recommend this nature walk! > **Good to know** > > allow one to two hours for the Citadel park, depending on the path you take. ![Brick houses reflected in the still water of a basin](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/week-end-a-lille-02-dba62e3f.webp) ![Barge moored along a canal lined with greenery](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/week-end-a-lille-03-faab2f42.webp) ![Tree lined canal with a barge bar and a fountain](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/week-end-a-lille-04-4a25f6cb.webp) ![Beds of pink flowers beside a rockery pond](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/week-end-a-lille-05-ca492466.webp) ![Mossy artificial grotto crossed by a trickle of water](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/week-end-a-lille-06-ffb98240.webp) ![Flock of sheep grazing at the foot of a brick rampart](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/week-end-a-lille-07-dbbf4faa.webp) ![Ewe turned towards the lens in the middle of the flock](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/week-end-a-lille-08-c9c17643.webp) ![Monumental carved gate at the end of a shaded path](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/week-end-a-lille-09-5c3a4125.webp) ![Ditch covered in green algae between two grassy banks](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/week-end-a-lille-10-3269849a.webp) ![Green moat at the foot of an embankment, a leaning willow](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/week-end-a-lille-11-0748abcd.webp) ![Walking path running alongside the brick fortifications](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/week-end-a-lille-12-05bed9a4.webp) ![Carved white facade overlooking a bridge and a lock](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/week-end-a-lille-13-cce63c64.webp) ### North of Vieux-Lille After our walk in the Citadel park, we discovered the very peaceful district east of the park and north of Vieux-Lille, **between rue Royale and rue Saint-André**. So we walked in the almost deserted streets with their quite opulent, flower-filled houses: **rue de Jemmapes, rue Princesse** (where the birthplace of Charles de Gaulle is, currently being restored)… ![Brick mullioned window filled with red geraniums](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/week-end-a-lille-14-b4c99572.webp) ![Facade covered in Virginia creeper with grey shutters](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/week-end-a-lille-15-4050ed2e.webp) ![Narrow lane lined with red brick and colourful doors](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/week-end-a-lille-16-44abee41.webp) ![Sloping street between old buildings and iron balconies](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/week-end-a-lille-17-cd212e9a.webp) ### South of Vieux-Lille One of the places we preferred in Lille is the **south of the city centre**, towards the town hall. Setting off from the Palais des Beaux-Arts, we took the street parallel to the boulevard de la Liberté and passed the ESJ and SciencesPo Lille. We then walked up the boulevard Papin to reach the very beautiful **Porte de Paris**. We were almost alone there: a joy for photographing this 17th century arch. From the gate, you get a very lovely view of the very famous **Belfry of Lille**, adjoining the Town Hall. Walking back up the shopping street rue Pierre Mauroy, we did not fail to go and admire the **rue des Brigittines**, a beautiful, very photogenic courtyard all in brick. A must-see to view traditional Lille architecture! We were alone in this whole district where tourists do not really venture. ![Vast facade of the Palais des Beaux-Arts on its esplanade](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/week-end-a-lille-18-4b59b93d.webp) ![Small brick church with a steeple beside an avenue](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/week-end-a-lille-19-09206e2b.webp) ![Columned pediment of Sciences Po and the French flag](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/week-end-a-lille-20-4beff921.webp) ![Monumental arch of the Porte de Paris and its footbridge](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/week-end-a-lille-21-94d0be2e.webp) ![Porte de Paris at an angle with the belfry and formal gardens](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/week-end-a-lille-22-61d531a6.webp) ![Carved coat of arms under the vault of the arch, seen from below](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/week-end-a-lille-23-367f1870.webp) ![Belfry of the town hall seen from a flower garden](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/week-end-a-lille-24-55cb2e52.webp) ![Carved arch of the monumental gate under the clouds](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/week-end-a-lille-25-370d5f47.webp) ![Small cobbled square lined with brick houses with black shutters](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/week-end-a-lille-26-ce90f21c.webp) ![Woman in a yellow outfit on the cobbles in front of blue shutters](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/week-end-a-lille-27-94560c5c.webp) ![Street with pale facades opening onto a vaulted passage](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/week-end-a-lille-28-0caa0738.webp) ![Cobbled courtyard surrounded by brick houses with blue shutters](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/week-end-a-lille-29-89644868.webp) ### Vieux-Lille The **historic city centre of Lille** is without any doubt what makes the city’s charm and where most of the cobbled shopping streets and the main monuments are. We went through it several times and at different moments of the day to enjoy the changing light on the brick buildings. #### The Grand-Place ![Belfry of the chamber of commerce rising above the rooftops](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/week-end-a-lille-30-63a9c87c.webp) ![Backlit cafe terrace seen from an arcade](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/week-end-a-lille-31-cc8cc348.webp) ![Shop signs and the belfry at the end of the street](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/week-end-a-lille-32-3cf23941.webp) ![Column of the Goddess in the centre of the main square](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/week-end-a-lille-33-28881c25.webp) ![Carved facades and bell turret of the Vieille Bourse](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/week-end-a-lille-34-fd218bc8.webp) ![Vieille Bourse and belfry overlooking the busy square](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/week-end-a-lille-35-29e7c358.webp) #### Place du Théâtre The very beautiful place du Théâtre with the Lille Chamber of Commerce and Industry and its belfry, the Lille Opera house and the rue des 7 agaches which joins the Grand Place. ![Corner building and ornate street lamp against a blue sky](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/week-end-a-lille-36-80c3aef9.webp) ![Brick and stone belfry on the corner of the square](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/week-end-a-lille-37-02dff8b4.webp) ![Golden corner facade with baroque carvings](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/week-end-a-lille-38-d2c9ef75.webp) ![Carved pediment of the opera house behind a black candelabra](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/week-end-a-lille-39-5bf01900.webp) ![Low angle view of a facade striped with brick and stone](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/week-end-a-lille-40-8327d73b.webp) ![Pale corner building with windows aligned over six floors](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/week-end-a-lille-41-63e2ad67.webp) #### Ilot Comtesse ![Packed terrace in front of old houses and a lawn](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/week-end-a-lille-42-4f5e91ef.webp) ![Parasols and brick houses beside a square of grass](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/week-end-a-lille-43-0041f9a6.webp) ![White chapel and wooden benches at the end of a lawn](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/week-end-a-lille-44-fe6b2151.webp) ![Long brick building behind a wide stretch of grass](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/week-end-a-lille-45-37feb8b5.webp) #### Notre-Dame-de-la-Treille cathedral The very astonishing Cathedral of Lille and its modern concrete façade which stands out in the old city centre… ![Contemporary marble facade pierced by a large rose window](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/week-end-a-lille-46-46f2fa68.webp) ![Gargoyles and gothic buttresses seen from below](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/week-end-a-lille-47-562f98b7.webp) ![Gothic side wall and carved porch in front of bike share bicycles](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/week-end-a-lille-48-df1b1a43.webp) ![Nave with tall pale columns and rows of chairs](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/week-end-a-lille-49-9c29754d.webp) ![Side aisle lit in blue and a large circular chandelier](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/week-end-a-lille-50-71e1e945.webp) #### Streets and lanes Not to be missed: rue de la Barre, rue de la Halloterie, rue des trois mollettes, rue de Pétérinck, rue de la Monnaie, rue de la Grande Chaussée, place aux Oignons, place Gilleson, passage de Weppes… ![Woman in a floral dress in a lane covered with ivy](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/week-end-a-lille-51-1254c0f5.webp) ![Empty cobbled street leading to the foot of the belfry](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/week-end-a-lille-52-f7983371.webp) ![Sloping shopping street lined with shop windows](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/week-end-a-lille-53-71ab5cc3.webp) ![Cobbled lane between brick walls and green shutters](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/week-end-a-lille-54-2741a4b9.webp) ![Man walking on the cobbles between two rows of bollards](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/week-end-a-lille-55-ece7d926.webp) ![Colourful houses glimpsed behind a railing and a tree](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/week-end-a-lille-56-0c8d0f6c.webp) ![Pink, yellow and burgundy houses above a bank](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/week-end-a-lille-57-5595e4a7.webp) ![Terraces and parasols in the middle of a cobbled square](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/week-end-a-lille-58-f38c6180.webp) ![Busy cafe terrace on a sloping cobbled street](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/week-end-a-lille-59-d92a2cb2.webp) ![Yellow and red chairs in front of the shops of a pedestrian street](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/week-end-a-lille-60-cee2d67d.webp) ![Open square lined with gabled houses, deckchairs in the middle](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/week-end-a-lille-61-12aee89e.webp) ![Passers by and a hanging lantern in a shopping street](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/week-end-a-lille-62-261a717c.webp) ![Street sign and shop windows on either side of the cobbles](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/week-end-a-lille-63-b08b585d.webp) ![Pedestrian walkway alongside a long building and pink flowers](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/week-end-a-lille-64-52a0e631.webp) ## Our accommodation in Lille We rented an entire place on [Airbnb](https://www.airbnb.fr/rooms/16131958) (**194€ for the two nights**) which we recommend for a weekend in Lille because its location is very central, equally close to Vieux-Lille, the Citadel and the Musée des Beaux Arts district. The flat is very spacious and completely refurbished, quiet as it does not look onto the boulevard de la Liberté. ## Our favourite places to eat in Lille - [Byblos](https://www.tripadvisor.fr/Restaurant_Review-g187178-d6405152-Reviews-Byblos_Restaurant-Lille_Nord_Hauts_de_France.html): an excellent Lebanese restaurant, located on the boulevard de la Liberté (a stone’s throw from our Airbnb). Lots of choice and generous dishes for 36€ for two. - **[Alex Croquet](https://www.tripadvisor.fr/Restaurant_Review-g187178-d11804340-Reviews-Alex_Croquet-Lille_Nord_Hauts_de_France.html)**: good pastries in the centre of Lille. - [Origano](https://www.tripadvisor.fr/Restaurant_Review-g187178-d15887555-Reviews-Origano_la_pizza-Lille_Nord_Hauts_de_France.html): a very good pizzeria where we had a pizza and a tiramisu to take away for 20.50€. - [Galette Chti’flette (Repaire du Lion) ](https://www.tripadvisor.fr/Restaurant_Review-g187178-d3607839-Reviews-Creperie_le_Repaire_du_Lion-Lille_Nord_Hauts_de_France.html): simple, good galettes to eat quickly in the heart of Vieux-Lille. - **[Aux Merveilleux de Fred](https://www.tripadvisor.fr/Restaurant_Review-g187178-d4242962-Reviews-Aux_Merveilleux_de_Fred-Lille_Nord_Hauts_de_France.html)**: how can you come to Lille and not taste the famous “Merveilleux”, made of meringue and chocolate (3.10€ for the big portion). - [Restaurant Sébastopol](https://www.tripadvisor.fr/Restaurant_Review-g187178-d1319912-Reviews-Restaurant_Sebastopol-Lille_Nord_Hauts_de_France.html): an excellent birthday meal in this fine dining restaurant opposite the Sébastopol theatre. The decor is modern and the single 6-course menu (45€) was very good, the dishes nicely presented. ![Handwritten restaurant menu on a stand](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/week-end-a-lille-65-df528f66.webp) ![Burrata and green crumble arranged on a white plate](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/week-end-a-lille-66-25dde70e.webp) ![Frozen dessert and a slice of bread on a grey plate](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/week-end-a-lille-67-5303c961.webp) ![Woman in front of the ivy covered entrance of a restaurant](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/week-end-a-lille-68-dda3a9b4.webp) ## What we thought of Lille This first post-lockdown getaway did us a world of good! Lille is a city we wanted to discover over a weekend, being [an hour by train from Paris](https://fnty.co/c/r-pvIRuduo), and now it is done. The good weather and the sun really helped us enjoy our stay in the capital of the Hauts-de-France. We are happy to have visited the city and discovered some very good restaurants (_there is no shortage of them!_) but we do not think we will come back any time soon. The city is quite small in the end and a day would almost be enough to walk it up and down… **We still advise you to go at least once to enjoy the local architecture and gastronomy, all the more so as Lille really is very easy to reach from Paris.** ![Couple posing in a cobbled lane with blue shutters](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/week-end-a-lille-69-1588100c.webp) Need ideas for your weekends and holidays in France? Read [our articles about our beautiful country](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/en/destinations/france/)!