Hauts-de-France · France
Where to stay in Lille
Lille is a city in Hauts-de-France, France, home to about 238,000 people.
- Best months
- May to September
- Nearest airport
- LIL8 km · Lille Airport
- Currency
- EUReuro
- Time zone
- Europe/Paris
- Language
- French
About
About Lille
Lille is a city in the northern part of France, within French Flanders. Positioned along the Deûle river, near France's border with Belgium, it is the capital of the Hauts-de-France region, the prefecture of the Nord department, and the main city of the European Metropolis of Lille.
Lille is France's fifth largest metropolitan area, and its most northerly. The city sits on the Deûle River, very near to the border with Belgium. While the city is moderately sized (236,000 inhabitants in 2020), over 1.5 million people live in the French side of the metropolitan area, while the cross-border metropolitan area, which covers both French and Belgian territory and includes Kortrijk and Tournai, is estimated to have more than 2.1 million inhabitants. It is the capital of the Hauts-de-France region and the prefecture of the Nord department.
Wikipedia and Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Things to do
What to see and do in Lille
See
Lille is a cultural and commercial hub with a wide range of restaurants, bars, clubs, museums, and shopping centre. A highlight is its beautiful and historic old town. The night life, thanks to the city's large student population, is cutting edge and lively.
- La Vieille Bourse
- Place du Général-de-Gaulle
- Place Rihour
- Town Hall
- Opera
- Chamber of Commerce
- Citadelle
- Cathédrale Notre Dame de la Treille
- Villa Cavrois
- Palais des Beaux-Arts
- Museum of Natural History
- Musée de l'Hospice Comtesse
Do
- Théatre Sebastopol
- visit Celestin Micro Brewery
- La Braderie
- Christmas Market
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Where to stay
Hotels in Lille
21 hotels within 25 km of the centre, as recorded in Wikidata. Each name links to its encyclopedia article where there is one.
| Hotel | Opened | From centre |
|---|---|---|
| Hôtel Carlton Lille | 1920 | 0.8 km |
| Alliance Lille - Couvent Des Minimes | 0.7 km | |
| Aux Petits Bonheurs | 24.8 km | |
| Best Western Plus up Hotel - Lille Centre Gares Best Western | 1.0 km | |
| Best Western Premier Why Hotel Best Western | 0.4 km | |
| Clarance Hotel Lille | 0.8 km | |
| Crowne Plaza Euralille Crowne Plaza | 1.6 km | |
| Grand Hotel Bellevue | 0.6 km | |
| Herbes Folles | 22.9 km | |
| Hilton Lille | 2024 | 1.6 km |
| Holiday Inn Lille Ouest Englos Holiday Inn | 6.7 km | |
| Hôtel Barrière Lille | 1.5 km | |
| Hotel du Croisé | 4.9 km | |
| Hotel l'Arbre Voyageur, BW Premier Collection | 1.1 km | |
| L'Esplanade Lille | 1.2 km | |
| La Fattoria | 22.9 km | |
| Mercure Lille Centre Grand Place Mercure Hotels | 0.9 km | |
| Mercure Lille Centre Vieux Lille Mercure Hotels | 1.3 km | |
| Novotel Lens Noyelles Novotel | 24.8 km | |
| Novotel Lille Aéroport Novotel | 5.8 km | |
| Novotel Suites Lille Europe Novotel | 1.6 km |
When to go
The best time to visit Lille
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Lille are May to September. August is the warmest month, with average highs of 24 °C; December is the wettest, with about 83 mm of rain.
Comfortable means average daytime high between 18 °C and 29 °C and under 80 mm of rain in the month. Averages for 1991–2020 over the surrounding area, a grid square about 50 km across, so a coast or a nearby mountain can make the town itself warmer or cooler. Data: CRU TS v4.10, Climatic Research Unit, University of East Anglia (Open Database License).
Getting there
Getting to Lille: airports and arrival
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Lille Airport (LIL), about 7.9 km from the city centre in a straight line; Ostend-Bruges International Airport (OST, 64 km) and Brussels South Charleroi Airport (CRL, 101 km) are also within reach.
Getting in
Most visitors will probably arrive by train at Gare de Lille Europe or Gare de Lille Flandres. It is possible to land at the Charles de Gaulle Paris airport and then continue by train, but do not try this at the Ryanair's Paris airport (Beauvais) as there is no train connection at all and the only bus is back to Paris itself. Lille has its own international airport, but it is mostly served by flights to holiday destinations around the Mediterranean and other airports within France. Visitors may also consider using airports in Paris, Brussels or London then reaching Lille by train.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
LIL · Lille Airport
OST · Ostend-Bruges International Airport
CRL · Brussels South Charleroi Airport
Local knowledge
Eating, drinking and staying safe in Lille
Eat
Food lovers will find themselves in a foodie heaven in Lille. The dishes of the north are delicious, hearty, and warming, and restaurants pride themselves on serving authentic food at affordable prices. Typical dishes include Potjevleesch, the Welsh, which is a hearty melt of cheddar cheese and fried egg, carbonnade flamande, a hearty beef stew, and, of course, moules frites. Try the maroilles cheese if you're feeling brave--it's the special cheese of Lille with a powerful odor. Those with a sweet tooth will find hundreds of little patisseries and boulangeries selling more cakes, pastries, and macarons than they knew existed along with an exquisite number of chocolate shops.
Drink
Lille has an amazing nightlife, wonderful bars and nightclubs, and a world of drinks to try. Because it is the north of France, beer is the most popular drink. Try as many kinds as you can, including Belgian ales which are very popular. Rue Solferino has many bars and clubs. This is the street to visit if you enjoy a lively nightlife and party scene. On Rue Masséna, you will also find countless bars, nightclubs, and restaurants including small delicious kebab stands that are open late until the wee hours of early morning.
Stay safe
Despite its charm and dynamic vibe, Lille is not without its share of crime and other socioeconomic issues, and the media have at times portrayed Lille as a dangerous city. As a former industrial powerhouse, Lille suffered greatly from the fall of heavy industry, and right up until the late 1990s the city was marred by crime and poverty. Even if the city and its metropolitan area have made a remarkable economic comeback, crime-related issues are more common here than in other French cities. During the daytime, taking the basic precautions you would take elsewhere should suffice to avoid trouble. However, do be cautious at night and stick to well-lit streets as much as possible.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Questions
Lille: questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Lille?
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Lille are May to September. August is the warmest month, with average highs of 24 °C; December is the wettest, with about 83 mm of rain.
Which airport is closest to Lille?
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Lille Airport (LIL), about 7.9 km from the city centre in a straight line; Ostend-Bruges International Airport (OST, 64 km) and Brussels South Charleroi Airport (CRL, 101 km) are also within reach.
What currency is used in Lille?
euro (EUR).
Nearby
Destinations near Lille
Sources: city facts from Wikidata and Wikipedia; airports from OurAirports; climate from CRU TS v4.10 (University of East Anglia Climatic Research Unit), 1991–2020 monthly means, 0.5° grid; places to stay, guest scores and amenities from each operator's own public pages. How this guide is made.