Lille, France, just across the border
My last ISOW trip was to Lille, France, which is literally across the Belgian boarder. This was another day trip, so we only had a few hours (6hrs) to look around.
I went off on my own after we arrived around 10:30am. First stop was La Grand Place. Standing in the center of the squares stands the Goddess commemorating Lille's resistance to the Austrian siege in 1792.
In front of the Old Stock Exchange built from 1652 to 1653, is one of the town's finest building. This building is made up of 24 little houses around an arched courtyard. A second-hand book market can be seen inside. On this square is situated the Grand Garde.
A walk around gives you the opportunity to see the Musee Hospice Comtesse (which I couldn't find the entrance for) and the Catherdral Notre-Dame de la Treille named in honor of a statue of the Virgin protected by an iron trellis. When you are in the center, pick up a canelé from Paul's. OMG are they delicious! I should have bought 4, but I only had the one. Super yummy and only 1.20E each.
The day I was there the GLBTQ community had come out for a parade/demonstration that had most of the main streets blocked off. I found a Mexican restaurant on a side street and took a break from the crowd before going off to find the Palais des Beaux-Arts de Lille (7E) and the Church of the Sacred Heart. I also found a cute little Clothes of the World shop and picked up a new travel outfit. :)
At the end of the day I went to the zoo and the Citadel. Pay the 4E to go to the Lille Zoo inside the park. Lille's largest (60 hectares = 123 acres) and most visited park is encircled by the Deûle canal, and includes the Bois de Boulogne Woods (which surround the ramparts of Vauban's Citadel) and the zoo. The Bois de Boulogne Woods are always open to visitors. The Lille Zoo is free if you live in Lille, and 4E otherwise, and houses about 400 animals representing 100 different species: monkeys, zebras, panthers, rare birds, etc. I spent almost 2 hours in the park and zoo so this was just right for the amount of money.
I went off on my own after we arrived around 10:30am. First stop was La Grand Place. Standing in the center of the squares stands the Goddess commemorating Lille's resistance to the Austrian siege in 1792.
In front of the Old Stock Exchange built from 1652 to 1653, is one of the town's finest building. This building is made up of 24 little houses around an arched courtyard. A second-hand book market can be seen inside. On this square is situated the Grand Garde.
Coming out the other side is the Theater and the Chambre de Commerce.
A walk around gives you the opportunity to see the Musee Hospice Comtesse (which I couldn't find the entrance for) and the Catherdral Notre-Dame de la Treille named in honor of a statue of the Virgin protected by an iron trellis. When you are in the center, pick up a canelé from Paul's. OMG are they delicious! I should have bought 4, but I only had the one. Super yummy and only 1.20E each.
The day I was there the GLBTQ community had come out for a parade/demonstration that had most of the main streets blocked off. I found a Mexican restaurant on a side street and took a break from the crowd before going off to find the Palais des Beaux-Arts de Lille (7E) and the Church of the Sacred Heart. I also found a cute little Clothes of the World shop and picked up a new travel outfit. :)
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