Notes from Lille, France

Think: bikes, bars and a whole lot of walking along cobblestones.

I can only describe what I felt yesterday at the Tour de France as pure excitement: some butterflies, some heart palpitations (though, the latter might be my genes – someone get my GP on the phone!)

As I sit and write this, there are church bells ringing in the distance. I’ve just finished devouring a baguette stuffed with a ridiculous portion of Mozzarella and a handful of cherry tomatoes. The women’s Euros are on the television on mute, two teams close to my heart playing against each other (I’m Cardiff Uni alum and speak a tiny bit of Dutch). Bliss.

There is something special about a city like Lille. It’s small, but not too small. It’s welcoming, but not quaint. It’s the kind of place you come to when you don’t want the hubbub of Paris but you do want the best parts of cities like Utrecht and Leiden. A place where there are wine bars, pubs, boulangaries and a plethora of European cuisine at your fingertips. And, also, an abundance of Carefour’s.

We’ve been in Lille these last few days for, as mentioned, the Tour de France and I am so pleased the race brought us here so we could experience the town itself. We spent afternoons walking without any real purpose, window shopping or stopping into churches and galleries. We ran a loop of the city one morning and took in the Citadel park, a vast green space only 10 minutes walk from the city centre Grand Place. We spoke broken French and accidentally kept speaking in Italian.

The Tour itself was wonderful. This was my third attending as a spectator, having taken in Marseille, Florence and Paris stages previously across the last seven years. Lille was the most incredible atmosphere of them all. The town was lit up like a carnival and its proximity to Belgium and the Netherlands is not lost on me in how alive and passionate the crowds were towards the riders and also towards street drinking. What I love about this sport is how welcoming it is and how accessible it is to all. I was blown away by the array of flags I saw in the crowd as well: British, Australian, Canadian, Kiwi, Belgian, Eritrean. A melting pot of cultures all flocking to France to watch people ride their bikes: now that’s special.

Lille is a day trip from Brussels, and Paris at a push. It’s a gateway to nearby towns like Roubaix and Dunkirk. If you’re in the region, I recommend a visit. Speaking of recommendations, some to consider:

Eat and drink:

Balme Lille – A charming bar/restaurant located nearby to a host of restaurants, shops and also close to the central square. The staff were friendly and they had a reasonably priced menu of wines by the glass. They specialise in truffle cuisine and offer an array of dishes that hero the ingredient.

Shop:

Along Rue Lepelletier, Rue Basse and Place Louise de Bettignies – think: Sezane, Diptyque, Essnetiel Antwerp and the like all in the one area. And always remember to look up because the architecture is not something to miss!

See:

Palais des Beaux Arts de Lille – an art gallery with free artefacts and sculptures on the ground floor and paid exhibitions upstairs. It has been taken over by Felice Varini on the lower ground floor, with the artist using the building itself as his canvas.

Stay:

Hotel de la Paix – Located central enough to the city centre, yet you don’t feel like you’re right in the middle of things. The staff were very friendly and the interiors were eclectic and charming. Plus, the rooms have baths! A holiday treat, at least in my book.