LILLE
A surprise around every corner!
At only 80 minutes from London, 1 hour from Paris and 33 minutes from Brussels, Lille is an ideal destination for a short break.
Flemish, Burgundian and then Spanish before becoming French, Lille has an outstanding architectural wealth. A trading city since medieval times, a citadel under Louis XIV, a hive of industry during the 19th century and a city of ambition during the 20th century, Lille today offers a blend of faces of the past and of the future.
The Euralille area is a pole of architectural audacity, and Lille South has become a fashion district where young designers have their own workshops. With the lille3000 bi-annual festival, the city looks towards the future, and the whole town is transformed by contemporary creations and cultures from all over the world.
Lille was European Capital of Culture in 2004, and has become a true benchmark in this field. A heaven for art: from the Fine Arts Museum to the Opera, from ballets to concerts, culture is part and parcel of life every day.
Lille, capital of the Nord-Pas de Calais Region, is proud of its festive traditions and its gastronomy. Lille is the right size for easy living, and Northerners’ generous and warm nature make visitors feel welcome. All year round people are delighted by this unique mixture of Flemish traditions and French “art de vivre”.
WHAT'S ON...
Lille Braderie (flea market)
2009 - September 5 to 6: From Saturday 2.00 pm to Sunday 11.00 pm.
33 hours to sell and buy anything and everything at the biggest flea market in Europe : 100 km of stands, 10 000 vendors and about 2.5 million visitors! And don’t forget the traditional dish of mussels and chips that is the subject of a yearly contest between restaurants, to see which one can build the highest pile of empty mussel shells!
www.lilletourism.com
Lille3000: Europe XXL
2009 - from March 14 to July 12
“East is the new West is the new East…”
Following the effervescence of « Bombay Maximum City », the second edition of lille3000 will explore the new Europe of 2009, as redefined since the fall of the Berlin wall 20 years ago.
In the city of Lille and on both sides of the cross-border region, events, exhibitions, artworks installed in the urban environment, shows and “Midi-Midi” weekends will take visitors and the general public on a series of day and night journeys to different cities and cultures from the far flung and sometimes mysterious edges of Europe, such as Istanbul, Berlin, Riga, Tallinn, Vilnius, Budapest, Bucharest, Warsaw, Ljubljana, Belgrade, Zagreb, Sarajevo, Moscow...
www.lille3000.com
SPECIAL OFFERS
Lille Christmas Market package
2009 - from mid-November to the end of December
2 days / 1 night - from 39 euros per person double-room based according to availability (including breakfast + a ride on the Ferris Wheel + a glass of mulled wine + a City Tour (50-minute minibus tour) + a Lille guidebook). Transport and meals are not included.
Lille is a great place to visit at any time, but at yuletide, when it lights up, the sparkling city is even more spectacular! An impressive 50-metre high Ferris Wheel turns majestically on the Grand Place, providing its guests with an incredible view of the main monuments. The 82 chalets of the Christmas Market transform the nearby Place Rihour into a quaint winter village. Follow the irresistible aroma of cinnamon and mulled wine, and discover the stalls where craftspeople offer delicacies and delightful gift ideas.
Lille Tourist Office - BP 205 - 59002 Lille cedex (France) - T: +33 359 579 400 / F: +33 359 579 404 / / www.lilletourism.com
Lille is at only 80 minutes from London with Eurostar! Lille Europe train station is located in the city centre, within a stone's throw of all major tourist attractions.
Lille discovery package
All year round
2 days / 1 night or 3 days / 2 nights
2 days / 1 night: from 59 euros per person in double bedroom (including breakfast + a 2-day City Pass + a Lille guidebook)
3 days / 2 nights: from 99 euros per person in double bedroom (including breakfast + a 3-day City Pass + a Lille guidebook).
Transport and meals not included
Get the most of your stay and discover the city at your own pace. Thanks to your City Pass, enjoy 27 of the main tourist attractions in Lille and the area (monuments and museums, walking and bus tours in English). Free and unlimited access to public transport (metro, tramway, bus) is also included. Last but not least, get discounts at the Galeries Lafayette store and some other shops, and a glass of Champagne in a selection of gourmet restaurants!
Lille Tourist Office - BP 205 - 59002 Lille cedex (France) - T: +33 359 579 400 / F: +33 359 579 404 / resa@lilletourism.com / www.lilletourism.com
Lille is at only 80 minutes from London with Eurostar! Lille Europe train station is located in the city centre, within a stone's throw of all major tourist attractions.
Transport Partner
Eurostar
Eurostar takes you direct to the heart of Lille in a mere 1h20. With up to 10 trains a day, you can make the most of this charming city and its lively food markets, high fashion shopping, and gastronomic delights. Lille has something for everyone.
For more information, visit eurostar.com
