Just over an hour from London by Eurostar, Lille is one of those cities that makes you wonder why you haven’t visited more often. Gothic architecture, Art Deco treasures, adventurous restaurants and rooftop sunsets come together in a wonderfully walkable city that feels distinctly French, with a little Belgian influence. And the best bit? You can enjoy it all without a Paris-sized budget.
By Andrew Threlfall with Food by Julia Nelson
Three days in Paris? Find a thousand pounds down the back of the sofa and off you go on Eurostar for great food and architecture. Alternatively, try three days in Lille and, for around a third of the cost, just head to St Pancras for an even shorter direct train journey.
This is why I love Paris’s younger, cooler, equally beautiful little brother — the very best way I can describe it. And why I keep going back.
Where to Stay: Hotel Babel
I stayed really centrally this time at Hotel Babel, complete with its own resident cat, ‘Blue’. Located literally a few minutes walk from the main connecting train station — with connections to everywhere — this pet-friendly hotel has the friendliest staff and the most outstanding breakfast in all of France, to date.
Lille: Beautiful Architecture Without the Crowds
This city is absolutely beautiful, with Gothic architecture whose ceilings are adorned with beautiful paintings.
So many incredible buildings with architecture that takes your breath away. At the weekend people just relax here perhaps because there are a lot of young university students. And you never feel too overwhelmed by tourists, as you might in Paris or London.
Some of the buildings have more of a Belgian feel than a French one, so unique and quirky, especially the rooftops that remind you of Tim Burton-style cartoons.
So, what’s new in the city since Hebbonair last visited three years ago? Well, we’re only 10 minutes from the Belgian border so let’s head east into the countryside for starters.
Villa Cavrois: Art Deco Heaven
Grab a 48-hour City Pass and head to the Art Deco Mecca that is Villa Cavrois.
I had been playing So Long Frank Lloyd Wright by Simon & Garfunkel on my headphones over breakfast and this felt like time-travelling back to the golden era when every doorknob was fashioned as a result of deliberations at conference level.
La Piscine: A Museum in a Former Swimming Pool
Back on the mini-tram and further on towards Belgium, stopping in the city of Roubaix, with its population of around 100,000, for a cheap, effective lunch at the Méert restaurant in the wondrous La Piscine museum.
Sit down; you’ll need the full explanation.
The swimming pool was completed a century ago, constructed between 1927 and 1932 by the Lille architect Albert Baert. It served a public who had mostly outdoor washrooms and WCs but was closed as a public pool in 1985, only to be brilliantly remodelled as a museum by architect Jean-Paul Philippon, opening in 2000.
It’s a very special exhibition space, constructed within the roofless shell of an adjoining textile factory.
La Piscine (French for ‘the swimming pool’) is more formally known as La Piscine-Musée d’Art et d’Industrie André Diligent or Le Musée d’Art et d’Industrie de la Ville de Roubaix. Its common name derives from the fact that it is housed in a former indoor swimming pool — now shortened in width, but still boasting a notable Art Deco interior and an art collection to marvel at.
NŪ: Rooftop Dining and Sunset Views
As summer started to leave Europe, I headed up to the roof terrace at NŪ restaurant. Trust me, this is unmissable. The highlight of any Lille tour.
LaM Museum: Experimental Art and an Exceptional Lunch
An early midweek visit to LaM Museum — quite a trek by metro and bus — meant the reward of being the only visitor at 11.30 am. A collection for Instagrammers (still asleep or on their coffee buzz back in the city?), perhaps? I was happy to see that the collection included original Charles Bukowski books in an ever-changing oeuvre.
Experimental in every way, as was the adventurous lunch menu at Pigments restaurant inside the museum.
The Food: Julia Nelson’s Guide to Lille
Hotel Babel: Breakfast Worth Waking Up For
‘Well, the breakfast at the hotel alone is worth talking about. Breakfast at Babel was honestly one of the highlights of our stay.
Every morning started with freshly squeezed orange juice and perfectly made flat whites — already a pretty wonderful way to begin the day. But the food was what really made it special. I had the most delicious crêpes with fried eggs and bacon, which was such a simple but indulgent combination and then there was this incredible savoury cake with tomatoes, feta and egg. I’m still thinking about it — absolutely divine.
Everything felt fresh, homemade and thoughtfully put together, rather than like a standard hotel buffet. There was something really lovely about being able to sit down each morning and actually look forward to breakfast.
For me, Babel absolutely nailed it. Delicious food, great coffee, fresh juice and a breakfast that felt like part of the experience rather than just something included with the room. I’d happily stay here again just for those mornings.’
Méert at La Piscine: A Lovely Lunch
After being up since 4 am to catch the Eurostar and spending the whole morning on our feet wandering around Lille, I was very much in need of a glass of something — so naturally, I started with a refreshing glass of white wine at Méert in the wondrous La Piscine museum.
I chose the sea bass with salad, followed by a rather wonderful lemon dessert.
The salad was incredibly fresh and exactly what I needed after a morning of exploring, while the sea bass was light and delicious. And then came the dessert — the lemon tart creation was a real treat. I’m not normally a dessert person at all, but this completely won me over: fresh, zesty and as good as a top-notch lemon meringue pie.
What I particularly loved was that this was such an easy, effective and reasonably priced lunch in such a beautiful setting. After the early start and a morning of walking, it was exactly what we needed: somewhere lovely to sit down, have a glass of wine, eat something delicious and recharge.
NŪ: Dover Sole, Cocktails and a Sunset
As mentioned above, the standout visit was to NŪ restaurant, where the remarkable views and Dover sole — at £40 — are worth every mouthful.
But first, there was an espresso martini, which seemed like the only way to watch the sun set over Lille. Sitting up on the roof, cocktail in hand, with the city stretching out below me, was a pretty perfect start to the evening.
Then came the starters: fried squid and Japanese-style tuna, with their own delicious tartare and soy accompanying sauces. This is what I’m talking about. Great flavours, beautifully done and enough to make us very excited about what was coming next.
And then came the huge Dover sole, served with seasonal vegetables and a gorgeous chilled glass of ‘First Flight’ white wine, as recommended by our kind waiter. £40 might sound like a lot for a fish dish, but this was worth every single mouthful. Fresh, beautifully cooked and absolutely delicious.
The food, the wine, the sunset and those views over Lille all came together to make this feel like a very special evening.
No dessert for me — there simply wasn’t room. NU was the best restaurant in Lille, and being just a short walk from Hotel Babel made it even better. A rooftop, a sunset, an espresso martini, fabulous food and a huge Dover sole — what’s not to love?
Pigments: Experimental Art Meets Experimental Food
At LaM Museum, it was experimental art followed by an experimental lunch.
I started with a crisp Domaine Ampelhus wine, fresh bread and butter, and a curious little fried-rice-style creation that immediately set the tone for what was to come.
Then came an unusual raw egg dish with green beans, a vibrant green sauce and tiny edible flowers — delicate, colourful and rather beautiful on the plate. Next up was gnocchi with an intriguing sauce, another inventive combination that kept us guessing with every mouthful. Nothing felt predictable and that was very much the point.
Dessert was a beautifully understated apple and pear creation, fresh and light after all the experimentation that had come before.
Pigments was a fittingly adventurous end to the museum visit: creative, experimental food in a museum devoted to very experimental art. And being practically the only people who weren’t staff in the restaurant made the whole experience feel unhurried — a little secret tucked away after the trek across Lille.
Football, Steak Frites and a Favourite Coffee Shop
Food selections apart, as we were close by the LOSC football stadium, it seemed a good idea to check out the gift shop — alas, closed midweek.
Back into the centre of town and off to a more conventional steak-frites dinner at Greenhouse, the kids’ favourite new restaurant in the centre of Lille, located across the road from the Notting Hill Coffee shop (remember them from last time? Well, they’re still here).
Marché de Wazemmes, Burgers and an Old Railway Station
A quick last-morning visit to the outdoor Marché de Wazemmes (use Gambetta metro station) and a fascinating walk back — past the Zepp bar (yes, a tribute to Led Zeppelin) and ‘Champions League’ barbers (don’t ask, just admire the ripped-off typeface) — for lunch at Babe restaurant and spectacular burgers.
Just time for a quick visit to Saint-Sauveur Station — a phenomenal, free-of-charge, open-air hub and museum in an old railway station, with an alternative, eco-friendly feel.
There’s a lovely exhibition of local children’s artwork and, had I not eaten earlier, a great outdoor area where you can eat and see the animals in the urban farm.
Images curtesy: HelloLille
Hotel Babel © Alice Casenave
Villa Cavrois © Laurent Javoy
La Piscine © Martin Vangaeveren
LaM Museum © Emma Ezzeddine
Read about more delights of Lille that we fond on our first visit here
