UK tourists warned to 'ditch' Paris and told 'savvy travellers know'
France’s underrated city break that’s much more affordable than Paris has been reevaled. An underrated city break that's under an hour and a half from the UK on the train is a fantastic affordable alternative to Paris - with UK tourists told to ditch the French capital.
TripAdvisor says: "Lille is an architectural feast with strong Flemish influences from the Grand Place to the basilica of Notre Dame de la Treille to the quiet streets of row houses and gardens. For art buffs, Lille is home to the Musee d'Art Moderne and the Palais des Beaux Arts. Children will enjoy the Parc de Zoologique. Savvy travellers know that Lille has a fine public transit system, making this historical hotspot a pleasure to visit."
Its top thing to do on TripAdvisor is Vieux-Lille, which has 4/5 stars out of five based on 3,500 ratings. "Unexpectedly lovely old city with cobbled streets and tons of history At the same time modern and not too touristy. Full of French people , either living or on holiday, very authentic. More to see and do than you might expect. Walking tour of the sights and history a must," one wrote.
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Another review gushed: "Old Lille is a charming place to spend a weekend, and can be reached in 90 minutes from London on Eurostar. Spend time wandering through the streets, visit the Cathedral and go up the Belfry for a panoramic view. The centre is very busy on Saturday afternoon, quieter on Sunday; but very quiet on Monday, when many museums and shops are closed. If your weekend is from Friday morning to Sunday evening, there's plenty to see and do."
And another five-star verdict said: "A lovely city, bustling in a nice way. Quaint old quarter, cobbled streets, wide variety of shops, restaurants & interesting architecture. Pretty canal & gardens near the Citadel & zoo. Euro Lille is very modern in comparison-a city of two halves. Only an hour & a half from St Pancras by Eurostar."
And another typed: "A very picturesque and interesting city. Lots of restaurants and a real mix of locals, students, visitors and temporary residents. Vieux Lille had lots of very interesting architecture. A blend of French and Flemish influences, and it's own Citadel - which you can visit on Patrimony days."