Lille didn't need a movie like Bienvenue chez les Ch'tis to attract more than a million tourists to the North every year. The capital of Flanders began its transformation more than 25 years ago from a former industrial city to a vibrant, modern metropolis less than an hour by TGV from Paris. Renovated and rehabilitated over the years, the Lille agglomeration concentrates in its neighborhoods a string of architectural curiosities to visit with its Lille tourist guide. From the Grand-place, which has been given back to pedestrians, to the Palais des Beaux-arts, which houses the second largest collection of works of art in France after the Louvre, from the Belfry of the Town Hall, listed as a Unesco World Heritage site, to the cobblestones full of history in Vieux-Lille, from the Vauban citadel, the city's green lung, to the popular Wazemmes district and its colorful market, Lille has plenty to keep you busy, between a plate of fried mussels and a fricadelle. All served with a sense of hospitality and bonhomie that is not a legend!
The best time to go to Lille is in summer, from June to September, when the thermometer approaches 20° on average. But temperatures are never freezing in the North, even in winter, thanks to the proximity of the English Channel, and the rest of the year is just as pleasant. It is important to keep in mind that it rains a little every month. The Grande braderie takes place every first weekend of September, from Saturday 8am to Sunday 6pm in the center of Lille. If you come by car, you will have to park at the gates of the city in the park-and-ride lots and take public transportation (metro, bus).
Located about 100 kilometers from the English Channel, Lille benefits from an oceanic and temperate climate. As for the weather, winters are mild, summers are cool and no month is really dry. It always rains a little but never too much in Lille! The average temperature exceeds 20° only during the summer, from June to September.
