Airports - March April 2015

FEATURE
LILLE
Travel Spot
Lille is a city where the local French-Flemish and the country’s
national culture are conjoined. This is reflected in an historic
city centre which features modern architecture and several
museums complimented with numerous restaurants and cafés.
Visitors will find many impressive buildings, including the
Chamber of Commerce with its 249ft-tall (76m) belfry, the old
Stock Exchange (La Vieille Bourse) and the Opera House in the
Grand Place (square). These structures date from the 17th to
the 20th century and in most cases complement each other’s
façades beautifully.
Other highlights are the Vauban Citadel fortification, Column
of the Goddess, Porte de Roubaix, and town hall in Place
Simon Vollant. Also worth a visit is the Gare Saint Sauveur
site, a converted railway yard with its own bistro and featuring
alternating exhibitions.
The Palais – des-Beaux-Arts de Lille is considered one of the
country’s greatest fine art establishments and the Le Maison
Natale de Charles de Gaulle are just two of a wide range of
regional museums. On a modern note, the Euralille shopping
centre, which opened in 1994, features around 130 shops and
covers almost the entire area between the city’s two railways
stations. It is surrounded by high-rise buildings and a park.
Just one of many classic buildings to see in Lille is La Vieille Bourse
(Old Stock Exchange).
Useful Websites:
www.lilletourism.com
www.eurometropolis.eu
www.northernfrance-tourism.com
www.transpole.fr
The Chamber of Commerce
Belfry in the centre of Lille.
The French high-speed rail network
competes on journeys to many domestic
destinations, although passengers for Paris
are routed this way since flights from Lille no
longer go to the French capital.
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