Birthplace of Charles de Gaulle
about 60 minThe Belle Époque house where Charles de Gaulle was born in 1890, restored in 2020, with audio guides.
Charles de Gaulle was born on 22 November 1890 at 9 rue Princesse, in his maternal grandparents' home. The tourist office says a 2020 renovation restored its Belle Époque decor and that the house hosts temporary exhibitions. The listing gives Monday and Wednesday to Sunday 10 am to 6 pm, closed Tuesday, and mentions audio guides. Adult ticket from 8 euros.
What to do there- Tour the restored Belle Époque rooms
- Follow the audio guide
- See a temporary exhibition
Vieux-Lille9 Rue Princesse, 59800 LilleBest: morning, late morning, afternoonWebsite ›On the map ›Something wrong?
Hours unverified: they come from its listing and may have changed.
Estaminet Au Vieux de la Vieille
about 75 minAn estaminet (northern tavern) with a terrace serving regional dishes, open every day for lunch and dinner.
Au Vieux de la Vieille is an estaminet, a traditional northern tavern, at 2 rue des Vieux Murs. Its own page says it is open seven days, lunch and evening, and all day for waffles, ice cream and crêpes; the listing gives lunch from 11:45 am to 3 pm and dinner from 6:45 pm to midnight. Reviews mention Flemish stew, Maroilles, regional dishes and potjevleesch.
What to do there- Order the carbonade flamande (Flemish beef stew)
- Try the potjevleesch
- Have the chicken with Maroilles cheese
- Stop for waffles, ice cream or crêpes between meals
Vieux-Lille2 Rue des Vieux Murs, 59800 LilleBest: lunch, dinnerWebsite ›On the map ›Something wrong?
Hours unverified: they come from its listing and may have changed.
Estaminet Chez la Vieille
about 75 minA brick-lined estaminet on rue de Gand serving Flemish classics; open Monday evening to Saturday.
Chez la Vieille is an estaminet at 60 rue de Gand. Its listing describes Flemish classics such as carbonade flamande, gratin crepes and fricandelle in a brick-lined dining room; reviews also mention Maroilles. The estaminet's own page says Monday to Saturday, lunch and evening; the listing shows Monday evening only and also Sunday evening, so the published hours are the overlap.
What to do there- Order the carbonade flamande
- Try the fricandelle
- Have the chicken with Maroilles cheese
- Share the croquettes
Vieux-Lille60 Rue de Gand, 59800 LilleBest: lunch, dinnerWebsite ›On the map ›Something wrong?
Hours unverified: they come from its listing and may have changed.
Estaminet du Welsh
about 75 minAn estaminet on rue de Gand whose own page names the welsh and Flemish cooking as its specialty.
L'Estaminet du Welsh is at 45 rue de Gand. Its own page names the welsh, a dish of Welsh origin adopted in the north, and Flemish cooking as its specialty, and says it is open seven days, lunch and evening, except Wednesday and Thursday lunch. Reviews mention the welsh burger, cheddar, a Maroilles tart and frikandel; the listing's hours match the page.
What to do there- Eat a welsh, the house specialty
- Order the welsh burger
- Try the Maroilles tart
- Try the frikandel
Vieux-Lille45 Rue de Gand, 59800 LilleBest: lunch, dinnerWebsite ›On the map ›Something wrong?
Hours unverified: they come from its listing and may have changed.
Hospice Comtesse Museum
about 75 minA hospital founded in 1237, now Lille's museum of art and history, in the old streets of Vieux-Lille.
The Hospice Comtesse, founded in 1237 by Countess Joan of Flanders, has housed the city's art and history museum since 1962. Its site mentions a tapestry exhibition, the hospital's living rooms and the nuns' small herb garden. Open Wednesday to Sunday 10 am to 6 pm and Monday 2 pm to 6 pm, closed Tuesday. Tickets 4 euros, 7 during a temporary exhibition; free on the first Sunday of the month.
What to do there- See the tapestry exhibition
- Walk through the hospital's old living rooms
- Find the small garden where the nuns grew herbs
- See the restored Coronelli globes
Vieux-Lille32 Rue de la Monnaie, 59800 LilleBest: morning, late morning, afternoonWebsite ›On the map ›Something wrong?
Hours unverified: they come from its listing and may have changed.
Méert
about 60 minA pastry house on rue Esquermoise since 1761, known for vanilla-filled waffles, with a tea room and a restaurant.
French Wikipedia says Maison Méert, founded in Lille in 1761, is known for waffles filled with Madagascar vanilla; the shop and its frontage are listed as a monument historique. Behind the shop is a Louis XVI-style tea room, and the house runs a restaurant Tuesday to Sunday. The listing gives shop hours of 10 am to 7:30 pm (Sunday 9 to 7, Monday 2 to 7) and lunch from noon to 2:30 pm.
What to do there- Taste the vanilla-filled waffle
- Take tea in the Louis XVI-style tea room
- Look at the listed shopfront
- Have lunch in the restaurant, Tuesday to Sunday
Vieux-Lille25-27 Rue Esquermoise, 59000 LilleBest: lunch, afternoonWebsite ›On the map ›Something wrong?
Hours unverified: they come from its listing and may have changed.
Notre-Dame-de-la-Treille Cathedral
about 45 minThe 19th-century Gothic Revival cathedral, with a crypt and a sacred art museum.
Notre-Dame-de-la-Treille is a Gothic Revival cathedral, begun in 1854. Its listing describes a crypt and a sacred art museum with works by Warhol and Baselitz. The cathedral's own page gives hours from 10:30 am to 6:30 pm (11 am to 7 pm in July and August), Monday from 2 pm, and closed on civil holidays; the hours published are those common to all seasons.
What to do there- Go down to the crypt
- See the sacred art museum, with works by Warhol and Baselitz
Vieux-LillePl. Gilleson, 59800 LilleBest: morning, late morning, afternoonWebsite ›On the map ›Something wrong?
Hours unverified: they come from its listing and may have changed.
Porte de Gand
about 15 minA city gate of the old Spanish wall, built 1617 to 1621, on rue de Gand.
The Porte de Gand, or Porte de la Madeleine, is a gate of Lille's old Spanish wall, built between 1617 and 1621 and classed a monument historique in 1929 (French Wikipedia). Vauban kept it when he reconfigured the fortifications from 1668. The listing gives it as a monument open 24 hours; reviewers mention fortifications and the drawbridge.
What to do there- See the Spanish-era city gate
Vieux-LilleRue de Gand, 59800 LilleBest: morning, late morning, afternoon, golden hourOn the map ›Something wrong?
Hours unverified: they come from its listing and may have changed.