Lille Travelers Recommend

Wander the narrow cobbled streets of Lille’s charming old town (Vieux Lille) and admire the old Flemish town houses, the 1652 Flemish-styled Vieille Bourse (textile exchange), and the Cathedral, with its modern, translucent façade and its Gothic interior. Stop for a while to sample local cuisine in one of the old town’s restaurants or inviting cafes, or browse the boutiques along rue de la Grande Monnaie and rue Basse. Not all of France’s best museums reside within Paris as the world-renowned Musée des Beaux-Arts will attest. This fine arts museum is one of France’s best and includes a glorious collection of 15th- to 20th-century paintings by Manet, Van Dyck and Rubens. Moving from old to new… take in the fantastic and downright wacky works by Miro and Picasso, et al at the Museum of Modern Art. Get out of the city on your third day and step back to the early 20th century and the battlefields of the Somme.