Brasserie La Chicorée
about 75 minA brasserie on Place Rihour, steps from the Grand'Place, open from 7 am to 3 am or later.
La Chicorée, at 15 Place Rihour, has been a brasserie since 1903 by its own account, with rooms on three floors and a covered terrace. Its page names the welsh, bavette, carbonnade, onion soup, and mussels and chips. The listing gives 7 am to 3 am Sunday to Wednesday and to 5 am Thursday to Saturday. Reviews mention carbonade flamande, mussels, waterzooi and regional dishes.
What to do there- Eat the onion soup gratinée
- Order a welsh, a bavette or a carbonnade
- Have the mussels and chips
- Sit on the covered terrace for a waffle or a drink
Lille-Centre15 Pl. Rihour, 59000 LilleBest: lunch, dinner, eveningWebsite ›On the map ›Something wrong?
Hours unverified: they come from its listing and may have changed.
Gare Saint Sauveur
about 75 minA former goods station reborn as a cultural and leisure space for exhibitions, concerts and films.
Opened as a goods station in 1865 and closed in 2003, Gare Saint-Sauveur became a cultural and leisure space for Lille3000 in 2009 (French Wikipedia). The listing describes art exhibitions, concerts, movies and family events. Open from noon, Wednesday to midnight, Thursday to 1 am, Friday and Saturday to 2 am, Sunday to 9 pm; closed Monday and Tuesday.
What to do there- See an art exhibition
- Catch a concert or a film
- Go to a family event
Lille-Centre17 Bd Jean-Baptiste Lebas, 59800 LilleBest: afternoon, golden hour, dinner, eveningWebsite ›On the map ›Something wrong?
Hours unverified: they come from its listing and may have changed.
La Vieille Bourse
about 30 minThe 17th-century stock exchange on the Grand'Place, with a courtyard of second-hand book stalls; free to enter.
Built from 1652 to 1653 by Julien Destrée, the Vieille Bourse is 24 houses around a public inner courtyard. The city says the courtyard now hosts second-hand booksellers and, in summer, tango; access is free. The listing gives 10 am to 5:30 pm every day. Reviews mention the architecture, chess, old books and posters.
What to do there- Browse the second-hand book stalls in the courtyard
- Watch tango in the courtyard in summer
- Watch the chess players
Lille-CentrePl. du Général de Gaulle, 59000 LilleBest: morning, late morning, afternoon, golden hourOn the map ›Something wrong?
Hours unverified: they come from its listing and may have changed.
Lille Belfry
about 60 minThe 104-metre town hall belfry, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with a lift up to views over the city.
The belfry rises 104 metres above Lille town hall (built 1924 to 1932) and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, says the tourist office. It is open Tuesday to Sunday, 10 am to 1 pm and 2 pm to 5:30 pm, closed Monday; the last lift is at 12:15 pm and 4:45 pm, and the 10 am slot is by reservation. The adult ticket is from 9 euros. Reviews mention the panoramic view and the lift.
What to do there- Go up the belfry for panoramic views of the city
- Rent binoculars for the view
Lille-CentrePl. Augustin Laurent, 59000 LilleBest: morning, late morning, afternoon, golden hourWebsite ›On the map ›Something wrong?
Hours unverified: they come from its listing and may have changed.
Lille Opera
about 20 minThe neo-classical opera house on Place du Théâtre, built 1907 to 1913; the listing shows no visiting hours.
The Opéra de Lille is a neo-classical opera house built from 1907 to 1913 and inaugurated in 1923; it reopened in 2004 after renovation. English Wikipedia credits its design to Louis Marie Cordonnier, with a pediment relief by Hippolyte Lefèbvre. The listing shows no opening hours, so the guide does not plan a visit; see opera-lille.fr for performances.
What to do there- Admire the neoclassical architecture
- Look at the sculpted pediment
Lille-CentrePl. du Théâtre, 59000 LilleBest: afternoon, golden hour, eveningWebsite ›On the map ›Something wrong?
Hours unverified: they come from its listing and may have changed.
Palais des Beaux-Arts de Lille
about 120 minOne of the largest art museums in France, with routes of 30, 60 or 90 minutes past its key works.
English Wikipedia calls the Palais des Beaux-Arts one of the largest art museums in France; it holds works by Raphael, Donatello, Goya and Rodin. Open Monday 2 pm to 6 pm and Wednesday to Sunday 10 am to 6 pm, closed Tuesday; full ticket 7 euros, reduced 4. Its site says the first floor partly reopens from 9 October 2026.
What to do there- Pick a 30, 60 or 90-minute route past the key works
- Look for works by Raphael, Donatello and Goya
- See the relief models of Vauban's fortified towns
- Take children to the Musée des enfants
Lille-CentrePl. de la République, 59000 LilleBest: morning, late morning, afternoonWebsite ›On the map ›Something wrong?
Hours unverified: they come from its listing and may have changed.
Porte de Paris
about 15 minThe triumphal arch Lille built in 1686 to 1694 for Louis XIV, open air and always reachable.
The Porte de Paris is a gate of the Lille fortifications, built from 1686 to 1694 to the design of Simon Vollant as a triumphal arch celebrating Louis XIV's victories; it was classed a monument historique in 1875. The listing gives it as a monument open 24 hours; reviews mention the architecture, the belfry and the paving.
What to do there- See the 17th-century triumphal arch
Lille-CentrePl. Simon Vollant, 59800 LilleBest: morning, late morning, afternoon, golden hourWebsite ›On the map ›Something wrong?
Hours unverified: they come from its listing and may have changed.
Saint-Maurice Church
about 25 minA Gothic hall-church in the historic centre, built from the late 14th century to the late 19th.
Saint-Maurice is a Gothic and neo-Gothic hall-church in the historic centre, built from the late 14th to the late 19th century and classed a monument historique since 1840. The listing mentions five naves, vivid stained glass and local 17th and 18th-century artwork, and gives Sunday 9 am to 8 pm, Monday to Friday 11 am to 6 pm and Saturday 11 am to 7 pm.
What to do there- Step inside the Gothic hall-church
- Look at the stained glass
- See the local 17th and 18th-century artwork
Lille-CentreParv. Saint-Maurice, 59800 LilleBest: morning, late morning, afternoonWebsite ›On the map ›Something wrong?
Hours unverified: they come from its listing and may have changed.