Lille

[Ginfa]

I am taking my 13 year old daughter to Lille for 2 nights over half term. Any tips for hotels or good places to go? She likes shopping some museums and cafes

I'd stay in the vicinity of the Grand Place. There are a couple of Ibis type hotels in that area, which are more budget friendly. We stayed in the Novotel centre gares, but mainly because it was one of the few places available that we could fit all 4 of us into the same room. It is a very nice hotel, but not as central as some of the others. We went for the Olympics, so didn't get through as much sightseeing as anticipated as there was lots of extra stuff going on for the Olympics. We went up the Belfry and into the art museum and that was about it. Can't advise much on shopping, other than there is a big Westfield (shopping centre) between the 2 train stations. Enjoy your visit.

A stroll round the Citadel area is worthwhile if you want a break from the city centre.

We recently stayed in the Aparthotel Adagio Lille Centre Grand Place which was really convenient and reasonably priced.

The shopping in Lille is great, and there are lots of nice places to eat. Make sure you check out Aux Merveilleux de Fred for sweet treats.

We stayed in a Mama Shelter hotel last summer. It’s a boutique hotel chain. The rooms were brilliant - cool, quirky, clean and very affordable for a family of 4. Old style pinball machines in the foyer etc and very central.
However I had somehow missed the fact that it was some kind of sex positive hotel so on arrival had to contend with a cabinet of sex toys for sale near reception. My older teen thought it was funny but younger one did not. It is possible to walk past it and not see it though. I only mention it as the food was really good and they had a live dj playing without being too loud and we ended up eating in the hotel a few times when it’s usually something we would avoid.

Other than that I used to live there many years ago. It has changed a lot in that time and traffic through the Grand Place was a surprise but there were still loads of lovely coffee shops and crêperies in the small streets of Vieux Lille to choose from. Recommend you just wonder around. Furet du Nord in the Grand Place is still nice for stationery. Getting the train to the small art gallery in Roubaix was easy and worthwhile. I think it’s called La Piscine but google should tell you.

Went a few years ago, absolutely loved it but can’t remember that much! Didn’t have kids with us so different vibe but a lovely place. We did the trip to roubaix - absolute dump but worth it for the museum!

Live there right now, I'd spend some time shopping in the Vieux Lille, eat in rue du Gand, maybe stay in mama shelter or the couvent des minimes.

Do the beaux-arts or musée hôpital Comtesse. Taking the métro to Roubaix to see the piscine is also good if you're shy a museum. As noted above Roubaix is a dump but full of interesting buildings.

Plenty of good nightlife with music etc and never had any safety problems in the evenings, though Solferino area is a bit spicy late at night.

If it's not actually raining walk round the centre having coffee/hot chocolate as required or walk round the citadel - the inside is sometimes open to the public but otherwise an army base.

The tourist office near the grand place is very helpful and will speak some English if your french is not up to it.

La Piscine art gallery

We spent ages wandering around the old town (we thought we'd 'done' all of it, only to discover there was a whole other section that we hadn't seen) - it was very pretty and lots to look at. There was a lovely market there which we spent a while at.

The art museum was good, and the belfry is supposed to be too ( it was closed when we went so we couldn't go up it). The citadel area was nice for a walk - there was a bar on a boat just outside it, where we had some nice beer.

I thought it was the perfect city for a short break - no real MUST see things, but enough to keep you occupied. And lots of crepes to help things along.

Thanks for all your reccomendations - all booked and my teen liked the look of mama shelter so I habe vooked there - will habe to swerve the sex counter!! It looks fun and upbeat