Grand Place of Lille and Old Stock Exchange
Officially called Place du Général-de-Gaulle, Lille’s grand square remains, for everyone, La Grand’Place. Dominated by the Old Stock Exchange, a Flemish jewel with sculpted caryatids, it hosts flower markets, concerts and lively terraces. Under the arcades, chess players meet as soon as the sun returns. In the evening, the belfry of the chamber of commerce lights up the sky: an easy spot for a first drink.
Vieux-Lille and belfry
Right next door, Vieux-Lille gathers Flemish houses, cobblestones and designer shops. Taste a gaufre at Méert, a listed landmark with legendary specialities, then climb to the top of the town hall belfry, more than one hundred metres up: the view runs all the way to Belgium. A date that gains a little altitude without losing any of its warmth.
Douai, Cambrai, Bergues
Beyond Lille, Nord offers plenty of escapes. Douai lines up its canals and its harmonious belfry, Cambrai delights with its mint-flavoured bêtises, and the Bergues belfry, made famous by a well-known film, can be visited between two local cheeses. On Lyad, people from Nord share their weekend itineraries; a chance to find someone to hear the carillons ring with.
Date ideas
- Grand Place of Lille
- Old Stock Exchange
- Vieux-Lille
- Lille belfry
- Bergues belfry
- Cambrai
- Valenciennes
- Douai