Lille for may day weekend?

Question

we have compiled a list of places to see while we are in lille including the following

Brussells

Amiens

St Omer

le touquet

liege

and Charleroi

because we have a limited time to play with does anyone know what ones we have to see and what we can avoid please

we like the usual bars restaurants scenary and cosmopolitan life

many thanks have a good week

ps we have done most of belgium recently minus brussells so want to see more of france this time

Answer 1

You might want to spend less time driving/riding trains and more time seeing a couple of cities.  Brussels is a must see, esp. if you have seen most of Belgium except for Brussels.  It's a truly beautiful city and great for just walking around and enjoying the sites.  Great food too!  Lille is a "typical" French city. Feels like a big city but not like an "international" city like Paris, London, NY.  If you like looking at a lot of little shops, downtown Lille is for you.  There is a nice, well reknown art museum (Musee des beaux arts) there too.  The hypermarkets (Euromarche, Auchan) imho are worth a look and I'm sure that you'll find nice gifts (and food) there.  An important part of a weekend in France (the fragrance of fresh cheeses, hot bread, etc.).  Restaurants and bakeries on rue Leon Gambetta are great and less expensive than downtown Lille.  I can't comment about the other towns bc I haven't been there.

Answer 2

My own subjective opinions are : Brussels is the capital of Belgium, is home to the EU and NATO but the Groot Markt /  Grande Place is worth the visit alone.

The only thing worth seeing in Amiens is the cathedral. Charleroi can be missed unless you are interested in ladies of the night or blast furnaces. Liege reminded me of some northern towns in England - few recognisable tourist attractions but there are some good cafes and jazz clubs. I have never been to St Omer or Le Touquet though the latter used to be very fashionable in the thirties so might have some things of interest and is on the coast. You have not mentioned the Flemish cities of Belgium so presume you visited them last time?

You can eat very well in either France or Belgium.

Answer 3

liege .. is not much cop .. bit dirty

Tournai is anice market town only 30miles from lille west

try this

www.terragalleria.com