Suggestions for one-day trip to Lille

Walk the streets, marvel at the architecture, have a drink at an outdoor cafe, get some frites, go to Meert.

There are several art museums. I haven't been to Lille yet, so I can't vouch for any of them.

We spent several days in Lille in 2018, primarily to go to Vimy Ridge, a Canadian WWI memorial site located close to Arras. Lille was lovely as it isn't a tourist destination so no swarms of people aimlessly following behind a guide holding an umbrella aloft. We particularly enjoyed the Fine Arts Museum, encountering a terrific docent just as we entered who spent over 2 hours with us, explaining the collection. The building itself is worth the visit. If you are interested in museums Le Tripostal, a contemporary art museum is behind the train station and the Museum of Modern Art is just out of town but easily accessed via transit. We are walkers, and Lille is a great city to explore on foot. There is a sizeable university in Lille, so it has a vibrant feel and as a previous poster mentioned, the restaurants are terrific. We had several memorable meals - the best was at La Comptoir.

Some people find the older, driverless subway interesting. I went specifically for the Palais de Beaux Arts, a very fine comprehensive old and modern art museum, which can’t be exhausted in half a day. I particularly wanted to see a painting James Ensor admired as a student, After Dinner at Ornans by Gustave Courbet. They also have some work by Rik Wouters, who is not well represented in US collections.

Here’s an old NY Times article on Flemish dining in Lille. https://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/20/travel/20choice-estaminets.html?smid=em-share

Note that the Eurostar to London stops in Lille. I agree that a walk around is nice, showing why the city’s nickname was Little Paris.

In 2022 - it is not known when yet - a new edition of the "Lille3000" art festival will take place and bring usually excellent exhibits to various places in town, making a day trip to Lille (or longer) all the more exciting!

If history is of interest, Lille is the birthplace of Charles de Gaulle, the home he grew up is now a museum. The annual flea market in September is one of the main draws, but with corona it’s likely not organized this year.

Indeed, Lille has already cancelled La Braderie

I have done day trips to Lille but from Arras, both trips in 1997 and 1999. by train from Gare du Nord.

The city is the urban and cultural center in northern France. One of the reasons, among others, for seeing the place was that it was De Gaulle's birth place.

I suggest also walking through the centre ville