LILLE | Bradt travel guide

TRAVEL GUIDE

New from Bradt is the thoroughly updated fifth edition of Lille, the award-winning and critically acclaimed guidebook to this exciting, ever-changing and easily accessible city in Hauts-de-France – the ultimate destination for a city break. Lille’s architecture blends the 16th-century cobbled streets typical of old Flanders and the imposing fortress and parks of Louis XIV’s France with converted former factories now serving as modern cultural venues. Here history refuses to stand still, and the city has not stopped finding new ways to celebrate its traditions, routinely toasting contemporary innovations. One of France’s leading centres for gastronomy, Lille constantly re-invents itself with ever more exciting places to eat – whether comfort-eating food courts where the falafel may be prepared by refugees and burgers flipped by a Masterchef legend or the intimate dining rooms of tomorrow’s Michelin-starred chefs– plus new places to explore, relax and stay. Being elected European Capital of Culture in 2004 led to Lille becoming one of France’s most cultural and artistic cities – and arguably its party capital too. With Bradt’s Lille, dance a Sunday-night tango with strangers in a Renaissance cloister, or order onion soup at dawn. Admire France’s best art collection outside Paris, attend a biennial international arts festival or head for the amazing museums and sites in nearby towns, linked by an excellent metro and tram network. Alternatively, you might stay in town to shop for vintage designer wear by the kilo, discover the latest Parisian chic handbags in an art deco fish shop or simply mooch with the locals at Lille’s legendary kerbside flea markets. Venture beyond the city to discover the patchwork of history that characterises northern France, from Henry V’s battle of Agincourt to World War I trenches and the beaches of Dunkirk. Walk through landscapes immortalised by Van Gogh, drive the Gothic cathedral trail in Picardy or go clubbing just across the Belgian border. New elements for this edition include a chapter on culture, featuring the Lille 3000 international arts festival; coverage of self-drive possibilities in the wider region, food festivals, World War memorial trails, and both new and expanded museums and art galleries; and updated or wholly new reviews of the best places to eat, drink and stay (whether luxury hotels in renovated historic buildings or city centre self-catering on a budget). With easy Eurostar access from the UK (plus high-speed train links from other French cities, and Brussels), Lille is the perfect short-haul getaway – with Bradt’s guidebook the consummate companion.