September - The Braderie
by grayfo
The first weekend of September sees the annual Braderie (all day on Saturday and Sunday, ending at midnight on Sunday), the city centre is closed to traffic all weekend and the streets are lined with market stalls, antiques and junk stalls. It's a bustling, colourful and fun filled festival with pop, jazz and rock concerts. The locals empty out their attics and sell antiques, bric-a-brac and all sorts of items in the streets like a gigantic car boot/table top sale.
And then there are the mussels. Dozens of cafés and pubs offer Moules et Frites for between 8 and 10 euros, or 12 euros including a glass of beer. There is fierce competition to create the largest mound of used mussel shells by the end of the weekend.
September 2002
City Centre
GETTING AROUND & CITY TOURS
by mel_bee
Lille has a good transport network with metro stations dotted around the city.
If you don't have much time but would like to see most of the sights and learn some of the history of the city, take one of the tourist office tours. They leave hourly and are in English, French, German or Dutch. The tours take 50 minutes and you listen on a microphone with video as well. It costs 8 Euros (no stopping to get off, only slowing down for photos) and is a great way to see as much as possible.
Typical Flanders Restaurant
by hawkhead about Estaminet 'T Rijsel
This restaurant serves Flanders cuisine and regional beers. It is a small place and the tables are cosily together, with the two very busy but friendly and efficient waitresses weaving and squeezing between! The kitchen is downstairs and in the course of an evening they must go up and down thousands of times. However, you never feel as though your neighbour is imposing. The atmosphere is very welcoming and there are lots of rustic artifacts decorating the place. The food is hearty and rustic and good solid portions. No frills. We were there in the evening but they open for lunch and for €11 serve "le déjeuner Flamand (entree, main course and dessert) from Tuesdays - Fridays. For evening meals, it is HiGHLY recommended that you book in advance. Or, if you are intending to go, arrive before 19.30. Not suitable for young children. Carbonade - absolutely delicious and tender.
Lapin aux prunneux - equally as good!
Try the ice cream - the lavender is wonderful, as is the rose flavour!
Little Musuem, Worth Seeing
by JohnnySpangles
This is a on old hospice that was run by nuns way back when. Gives you a small glimpse as to how 'old' Lille lived. Not very big so only take you an hour or so. There is a gallery attached that has temporary exhibitions of some note. This costs extra. If doing a day in Lille then do this in the morning, take a long lunch, palais des beaux arts in the afternoon followed by shopping.
Mechanical...errr Displays...
by dejavu2gb
This must be one of the weirdest tips I have added. That is because its not actually a tip, but I wanted to add it in, as I found this very interesting whilst visiting Lille.
All over the city you saw displays with these mechanical robot type things, making moves and sound etc. It was quite strange, but very interesting to look at, and they were all over the city too, quite interesting to look at I must say, and you will see by my pictures how strainge some of them looked...
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Porte de Gand, Lille, France 2009
Lille Flandres Railway station
Macaw in Lille Zoo
Vieille Bourse
