Exclusive:
Andy Lines takes a short hop to Lille – one of France’s hidden gems where the locals like a drink, room prices are cheap and you are very unlikely to go home hungry
We jumped on the high-speed train in London and precisely one hour and 22 minutes later we were getting off in the northern French city of Lille. It’s incredibly close – just so quick and easy to get to.
Lille is often ignored by British tourists who just get on the Eurostar, Eurotunnel or the ferries and head straight down to Paris. But this whole northern region of Hauts-de-France is starting to become a ‘must go’ travel destination for Brits wanting a decent weekend break or longer.
If you want the vibe, elegance and ambience of Paris – without the Parisians and their inflated prices – then come to Lille. Our Eurostar ticket, if booked in advance, is less than £80 return and it takes you right into the centre of Lille.
There’s no baggage restrictions and you are even allowed to take on your own bottle of wine, or four cans of beer, to enjoy on the short journey from St Pancras International. We arrived on a sunny autumn Monday morning and the city was really buzzing. Youngsters were out in the cafes and bars in the first weeks of the new university term.
The locals actually speak to you here. They are warm, friendly and love to drink a bit as well.
The beers and food really are first class. The main meals are always huge, hearty dishes and there’s absolutely no chance of going home hungry from a Lille restaurant.
Lille’s real fame is its love of beer. It has been dubbed the “beer capital of France” and has been revelling in its proud title for centuries. The world famous scientist Louis Pasteur was once Dean of Science at the University of Lille. While he became famous across the globe for his pasteurisation techniques he will be forever loved by the people of Lille for his unswerving work in making their beer safe to drink.
Back in the last century there were more than 2,000 breweries in Lille but in the 1960s that fell to around 20. But thanks to a boom in high quality micro breweries there are now 250. There’s even a beer tourism agency which offers beer tasting tours.
L’Echappee Biere took us around the city and we ended up tasting some of the city’s finest beers. Just to warn you – they are very strong and really should be sipped more like wine.
Our guide Emilien said: “In recent years, craft beer has been enjoying a meteoric rise in popularity. The region is obviously affected by this boom, which allows the great creativity of brewers to emerge. But we also have an important brewing tradition, dating back to the Middle Ages.”
If you don’t fancy the bars, the wonderful Meert Salon de The is a must visit. They serve traditional oval shaped waffles and gaufres at just £3.20. A milky coffee is £2.70 and to sit on the terrace smelling the freshly grown huge pots of herbs is very relaxing.
They’ve been serving gaufres here since 1761 – so they must be doing something right!
Nearby the Estaminet Au Vieux de la Vieille is a cosy restaurant serving very traditional food. It has a simple menu with not too many choices. A bottle of house wine is £24, a brandy £5 and a pint £6. These are fairly typical prices for nice restaurants in the city centre.
We stayed in L’Arbre Voyageur – a small boutique hotel in the centre. It doubles as a patisserie and makes dozens of different fresh pastries daily. They make their own jam and even their own fruit cocktail for breakfasts.
One of the highlights of the visit was an hour long round Lille trip in a fantastic old classic Citroen 2CV. Ours was made in 1981, has been repainted in vivid pink, and nicknamed Margaret. Our guide was a charming 26-year-old man called Charles Revercez. As we chugged around the city the young historian pointed out many historic spots. Le Grand Placec – the central market area – the back street birthplace of French Second World War leader General Charles de Gaulle, and even the very spot where Charles’ own parents went on their first date back in 1990. It really was a special hour.
He told us about the city’s famous links from the Sun King Louis XIV to Chelsea football legend Eden Hazard, who once played for the local side.
He also explained its trials and difficulties during both the First World War and the Second. The tour company has a fleet of six 2CVs and have become popular sights throughout the city with tourists asking to stop for photos.
For those interested in a bit of culture there are two very unusual ‘museums’ on the outskirts of Lille – which are both easily accessible by tram or metro. The piscine at Roubaix is a restored old swimming pool. It’s a stunning building with contains hundreds of statues and paintings.
Then there’s the Villa Cavrois which was built in 1929-32 and fully restored between 2008-15 in Lille’s leafy northern suburb of Croix. It’s a family home but on the scale of a chateau. It’s a fascinating chance to look back at family life from another era.
After the visits we headed straight to the bar for a glass of local beer. But just remember – it’s VERY strong.
Book the holiday
Eurostar operates up to nine trains a day from London St Pancras International to Lille Europe with one-way fares starting at £39. eurostar.com
Rooms at the Hotel l’Arbre Voyageur in Lille start at £142 a night room-only. hotelarbrevoyageur.com
More info at hautsdefrancetourism.com french-weekendbreaks.co.uk
