Lille, ç’est chill

L.S.
Jun 26
4 min read

Why you should skip Paris altogether...

With a journey time of just over an hour and twenty minutes from London St Pancras, opting for Lille over Paris gives you at least an extra sixty minutes of precious leisure time as well as saving you a healthy chunk of spending money. Sidenote: shopping in the Hauts-de-France region makes the U.K. high street look like a badly tended graveyard.

As if you needed any more reason to visit the French capital’s far less stressy little sister, Lille has recently seen the reopening of its iconic major art gallery, the LaM (Lille Métropole Musée d’art modern, d’art contemporain et d’art brut). The building itself is a functional red-brick designed in the 1980s by Roland Simounet, and reminiscent of many U.K. university campuses.

Abstract white-and-gray sculpture by Picasso (Woman with Outstretched Arms, 1961) - figure stands on a grassy lawn beside dense green trees under a pale sky. — Picasso’s *Woman with Outstretched Arms* (1961)

The revived programming at LaM has already included a fantastic Kandinsky retrospective focusing on the artist’s visual inspiration, and until December 2027, the gallery now takes on the theme of Obsession, paying homage to 20^th and 21^st Century stalwarts like Amedeo Modigliani, Henry Darger and Miriam Cahn.

On arrival at the gallery, Pablo Picasso’s iconic Woman with Outstretched Arms (1961) is there to greet you like an old friend. Set within the grounds of the Parc du Héron, you’re bound to see a few of these graceful birds posing in the lake, which is why LaM’s in-house restaurant, Pigments, has taken the heron for its motif, offering art-inspired Michelin-starred fare from Florent Ladeyn and panoramic views of the sculpture garden.

Located four miles east of the city centre, this Tate Modern equivalent is well worth the short metro ride and bus transfer at Pont de Bois, or if you’re feeling really metropolitan, you could always jump in a taxi, typically taking ten to fifteen minutes and costing the same amount in fine continental euros.

Historic red-brick hotel facade under cloudy sky, with entrance sign Oceania Les Augustins and a Rue des Augustins street sign. — Oceania Les Augustins

Where to Stay

By far the most chic place to stay in the city centre has to be the Oceania Les Augustins, and with double rooms from as little as 150 euros per night, even in the peak of summer, a last-minute luxury mini break isn’t as dear as you might expect. Walkable to the Eurostar and national train stations, it’s also not far from the Mairie de Lille metro, or République (right by the Beaux-Arts gallery).

Equipped with a spa and fitness room, help is at hand if you don’t manage to squeeze your steps in climbing one of the city’s seven belfries or if you feel the pressing need to unwind in the sauna. There’s nothing quite like having the pool to yourself first thing in the morning (even more so when it’s located in a former bank vault, making you feel like you’ve pulled off an exquisite heist).

The hotel's pool is housed in a former vault

Arts and Culture

In addition to the LaM, there are a number of other must-see galleries in and around Lille. A short tram ride away from the centre, in the former textile district of Roubaix, La Piscine Museum was originally an art deco public bathhouse for the workforce, many of whom lived in converted depots. Closed in the mid-1980s and repurposed in 2001, it’s now home to some incredible sculptures, including a couple of Rodins. With art and fashion exhibitions throughout the year, La Piscine is a bit like a poolside V&A. It’s worth taking a look around Roubaix’s various warehouses, vintage shops and thrift stores too.

Clay bust sculpture of a curly-haired person with a scarf, displayed in a glass case in a quiet museum-like setting — Rodin's Lady Victoria Sackville-West

From November 2026 until March 2027, the Palais Beaux-Arts will be exhibiting William Turner and artists of the Grand Tour, harking back to the time of the gallery’s inception. If you’re in the mood to take a sketchbook, there are some fantastic Flemish works in the basement, including two-thirds of a phenomenal Judgement Day triptych by Dirk Bouts.

Where to Eat

There’s no shortage of affordable and authentic restaurants to be found in the old town, where – in warmer months – you’ll find people playing chess in the street. For a taste of the typical French Flanders fare, grab a table upstairs at Estaminet au Vieux de la Vieille where the décor has the feel of an eccentric relative’s parlour room, with oil paintings, commemorative plates and dried flowers abounding.

Try the assiette régionale for a selection of white meats, cheesy croquettes and carbonnade (beer-based beef stew), potjevleesch (rustic terrine), and melted maroilles rarebit. For dessert, keep it hearty with a chicory crème brûlée, speculoos merveilleux (meringue cream cake) washed down with a Vlaams genever coffee.

Assorted café desserts and a whipped-cream coffee on a wooden board beside a spoon, with water glass and salt shakers. — Assiette gourmande with Vlaams coffee

For your classic steak-frites, head to Babe where indoor seating has the feel of a breezy loft apartment and shady terrace views over the tranquil Square Morisson provide a welcome counterpoint to the shopping district. For those who ‘ve already indulged in too many croissants, there are also lighter options such as or steamed ocean perch with seasonal vegetables.

Bamboo steamer of fish, potatoes, carrots and greens on an outdoor café table, with a Loven kombucha bottle and fries behind.

And of course, it would be remiss to leave Lille without sampling Méert’s Madagascan vanilla waffles prized by celebrated former president Charles de Gaulles. Naturally popular with tourists, it’s also interesting to notes that prices remain affordable enough for locals, and for this reason, it’s worth booking ahead to avoid disappointment.