SHARE ON FACEBOOK
SHARE ON X
SHARE ON PINTEREST
PRINT
SEND MAIL

Citadel of Lille

Lille

Copyright: Sergey Dzyuba/Shutterstock.com
DESTINATIONS france lille Do & See Citadel of Lille

Citadel of Lille

First built in the 17th century following the seizing of Lille by French forces, the Citadel is an impressive star-shaped fortress which now houses the French Rapid Reaction Corps. Guided tours of the Citadel are held monthly. The park area surrounding the fortress contains pleasant greenery and the Lille Zoo.

Useful Information

  • Address: Avenue du 43e Régiment d'Infanterie, Lille
  • Phone: +33 4 43 05 12 90

Do & See

Wandering the old town streets and admiring the Flemish renaissance architecture might be one of the greatest pleasures the city has to offer, but together with a handful of solid art museums, excellent shopping and hearty, scrumptious cuisine, Lille is northern France's biggest city in not only terms of size, but also cultural offerings.

Old Town Copyright: Production Perig/Shutterstock.com
Old Town
Start your stay in Lille by exploring the old part of town and wandering along Vieux-Lille's cobbled streets. Apart from fine examples of old Flemish architecture, the area contains a plethora of small boutiques and cosy cafes. Do not miss the charming little Place aux …
Read more
Palais des Beaux Arts Copyright: aniad/Shutterstock.com
Palais des Beaux Arts
Second only to Parisian Louvre in the calibre of its collection, Lille's Fine Arts Museum (Palais des Beaux Arts) contains works by assorted great masters, the likes of Rubens and Manet. The basement level holds archaeological finds and miniature representations of the region's 18th-century fortified …
Read more
La Piscine Museum Copyright: Jean-Pierre Dalbéra/Flickr
La Piscine Museum
The building of what once was an Art Deco swimming pool has now been turned into a fine/applied arts museum (La Piscine Musée d'Art et d'Industrie), classical sculptures and busts lining the filled-up pool in a bizarre yet curious …
Read more
Lille Métropole Museum of Modern, Contemporary and Outsider Art Copyright: zhu difeng/Shutterstock.com
Lille Métropole Museum of Modern, Contemporary and Outsider Art
The Lille suburb of Villeneuve-d'Ascq is worth the trip if only for its singular Modern Art Museum (Musée d'Art Moderne, d'Art Contemporain et d'Art Brut – LaM), which showcases works by celebrated modernists (such as Picasso and Modigliani, to name a couple), along with a noteworthy collection of outsider …
Read more
Citadel of Lille Copyright: Sergey Dzyuba/Shutterstock.com
Citadel of Lille
First built in the 17th century following the seizing of Lille by French forces, the Citadel is an impressive star-shaped fortress which now houses the French Rapid Reaction Corps. Guided tours of the Citadel are held monthly. The park area surrounding the fortress contains pleasant greenery and the Lille …
Read more
The Old Stock Exchange Copyright: ilolab/Shutterstock.com
The Old Stock Exchange
The building of La Vieille Bourse, as it is known locally, consists of a couple dozen separate buildings and a beautiful courtyard containing a book flea market. It is a fine example of 17th century ornamental Flemish …
Read more
Lille Cathedral Copyright: Velvet/Wikimedia Commons
Lille Cathedral
Finally completed only at the turn of the current century, the Cathédrale Notre-Dame-de-la-Treille bears striking dissimilarity to Gothic and Romanesque cathedrals across Europe - perhaps, due to its pronouncedly modern facade. The inside contains a crypt and sacred art …
Read more
Lille Zoo Copyright: MNStudio/Shutterstock.com
Lille Zoo
Located only a short walk outside the old town, the Lille Zoo is a pleasant afternoon pastime for the whole family. Ticket prices are times lower than those at an average west European zoo, all animals are well looked after, and an impressive collection of species for a zoo of such compact size is …
Read more
Lille Belfry Copyright: SergiyN/Shutterstock.com
Lille Belfry
The belfry of Lille's Hôtel de Ville shoots up a hundred metres into the sky, and is accessible via both stairs and an elevator (the latter means of reaching the top is recommended). From up top, a splendid view unfolds over the entire city, including a few local landmarks (although admittedly little of the …
Read more
Hospice Comtesse Museum Copyright: neko92vl/Shutterstock.com
Hospice Comtesse Museum
The Hospice Comtesse Museum, or Musée de l'Hospice Comtesse, is a century-old once-hospital now open to visitors. The complex consists of a former hospital hall and an adjacent chapel. The English audio guide is informative and essential for those who do not speak …
Read more

Please don't close or refresh the page while we are processing your submission
Please be patient, this could take a few minutes.