We are a family of 5 with 2 teenagers and an 8 year old traveling during the summer. We are planning on taking the train from Brussels to Lille, France. And from there, rent a car and explore the north of france. Need help in where to go and what to see and where to stay. We have 4-5 nights to spend there and our final destination is Paris. I appreciate your help with my itinerary.
Posted by
New Orleans, LA, USA
105 posts
The Alsace region was delightful! Small villages reminiscent of Grimm fairytales. Half timbered homes painted in beautiful colors, cobble stoned lanes and gorgeous countyside filled with vinyards. Walks to ruins, castles, etc. Good beer and food much different than the rest of france because of heavy German influence. Check it out! We stayed in Beblenheim at the Le Gambrinus...pub/cafe in cellar that locals seemed to love. Owner speaks fluent English and was quite friendly and helpful. Bon Journee!
Posted by
San Francisco
14980 posts
Rita, I like going to northern France, which is very interesting to me but haven't been to the area between Lille and Brussels, only a couple of times as day trips to Lille itself. Lille is worth visiting, a university town and for its centre ville and the cathedral. Depending on how far south you are going from Lille, I would suggest the Nord pas-de-Calais area, which I am much more familiar with. Most definitely, you won't see any Americans there, except for Canadians and British, in cities/towns of Arras, Cambrai, St. Pol, Vimy, etc. My favourite city north of Paris is one I would suggest if you desire to drive further south to the Somme River to visit Amiens with a more fascinating cathedral and centric ville. I went to Amiens the first time as day trip from Paris for its historical significance taking the train from Gare du Nord. Can't say anything on accomodations since I never stayed in Amiens but Arras has a number of 3 star hotels across from the train station, one of which is a Holiday Inn.
Posted by
Used to be Steilacoom, now it’s Las Vegas
2297 posts
Lille remains one of my favorite cities. It's a gateway for the Eurostar, so they are very friendly and most people speak English. It's a relatively small city, so you can see it easily. It has a wonderful Old Town area with great restaurants. In our experience it also had the best shopping, if that is something that interests you. Oh, and they have some amazing chocolate shops as well. It has a nice art museum that is not too overwhelming. Will you have spent time in Brussels, or is that your point of arrival?
Posted by
Pittsburgh, PA, USA
2778 posts
If it were me, I'd head over to Normandy. You could stop in Rouen (haven't been there) or Honfleur (loved it). But I would spend the bulk of my time in Bayeux, which is a great base for exploring the D-Day beaches. With 4-5 days, you would have time to also see Mont St. Michel. Normandy is a wonderful area, even without the WWII history. Seeing the beaches, cemetary and other WWII sites is really moving.