How to Make the Most of a Day Trip to Lille, France, Lille, France

During my visits to Belgium, each time I looked at the map for trip ideas, one city kept drawing my eye. And it wasn’t a Belgian city. No, my eye kept crawling just across the border to the French city of Lille far in the country’s north. Upon returning to Belgium this year the idea of making a day trip to Lille grew too hard to resist. Ultimately visiting Lille proved to be a great decision as it allowed me to see a completely different side of France.

A modern city with a historical core, there’s no shortage of things to see in Lille. The fifth largest urban area in France, Lille is not a ‘lil destination. In fact, while a day trip is a good choice if you’re short on time, there’s certainly enough to do to justify several days in the city. But if you’re committed to a Lille day trip then here’s how you can make the most of it.

When arriving to Lille Flandres Station by train the best starting point for your day is just several blocks away at Place du Theatre. It’s here on this central square that can immediately begin to absorb some of the city’s more impressive sights. A quick suggestion as you make your way there is to divert your route past the eye-catching Paroisse Saint Maurice church. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).