France is one of the main travel destinations for all travel lovers. When we speak about the vacation in France, Paris with its outstanding Eiffel Tower stands in the first place in our mind. Do you agree with me, don't you? Some tourists have been there more than one time, and they are looking for an investigation of new famous, beautiful places. So I would like to introduce a new trip destination in France which makes your France visa worthy. Have you ever heard about France's fifth metropolitan city? I will try to explore the wonderful, Instagrammable places to visit in Lille France, but before that, where is Lille? The city of Lille is the capital of the Nord Department and the Hauts-de-France region. It is situated on the Deule River, in the northeast of Paris. Also, it is near the border with Belgium. Lille is a city with a very large student population and maintains an active cultural life. Ok, after a little introduction, "where is Lille?", let's start our next dream travel to Lille by providing information about what to do in Lille?
1. Grand Place
Our first travel station among the best places to visit in Lille France is Grand Place. It is an expansive main square in Lille. Its original name is General de Gaulle Square, and it is located in the northeast of the city center. Grand Place is embraced by the old yet charming gabled building, which makes this square one of the Instagrammable places. These buildings are Renaissance and Baroque Flemish monuments with Neoclassical facades. It maintains in itself a blending of the historical and modern buildings. Also, there is a fountain with the Column of the Goddess in the central part of it. The south part of the square has one of Lille's most beautiful buildings. It is the Vieille Bourse, which was established in 1652. All of these buildings' magnificent structure gives to this square a very charming atmosphere, so, in my opinion, this place can be a perfect background for your most liked Instagram photo from your travel to Lille. After taking interesting photos for your Instagram, just sitting at one of the restaurants surrounding the square and watching the scenery can be among the restful things to do in Lille France.
2. Fine Arts Museum
The next destination in our dream tour among places to visit in Lille France is Palais Beaux-Arts (Fine Arts Museum). It is the second most essential museum in France after the Louvre. It is also one of the oldest museums in the country, built in a lavish Belle Epoque –style, on Napoleon I's order. There are works such as paintings, sculptures, prints by Rembrandt, El Greco, Goya, Delacroix, Raphael, Picasso, Monet, Jacob Jordaens, etc. The art examples in this museum refer to the 17th-20th centuries, the middle ages, and the Renaissance Period. You will get the opportunity to get acquainted with "Olga in fur collar" by Picasso, "Medea" by Eugene Delacroix. In this place, nobody will be bored because Palais Beaux-Arts contains a cafe, bookstore, library, and gift shop. So, after being there, you will not concern about "what to do in Lille France?".
3. Vauban Garden
Vauban Garden is the perfect choice for visitors who are looking for Instagrammable places in Lille. This public park is a wonderful example of the English countryside. This garden with a large amount of flora and fauna is established in 1863. The park is decorated with statues of prominent Frenchman and Lille natives. Vauban Garden is open to pets. This example of the beautiful places to visit in Lille France, offers a pleasant walk, interesting picnic, Frisbee game, just sitting and enjoying its incredible beauty and other activities.
4. Vieux-Lille
The old town with the historic building is Vieux-Lille is among the best places to visit in Lille France. The colorful structure of the buildings, which was made of stone and brick with unique facades, will be in your mind for a long time. There is the famous Rue de Monnaie Street and Loise de Bettignies square with decorative shops. Also, a tango dance party under the sky on Sunday nights can be on your list of things to do in Lille France.
5. Lille Citadelle
Another Instagrammable option which this city offers is Lille Citadelle. The Citadella is a marvelous fortress that Blume describes as a "city within a city." It was built for 3 years and was designed by the famous Vauban. It is still an active army base to this day. You can obtain valuable information about Lille's history by visiting Citadelle. The architecture of the fortress consists of millions of stone blocks, bricks, and sandstone. Visitors cannot enter Lille Citadelle because it is serving as a French military base today, but they can take a great most liked Instagram photo there.
6. Porte de Paris
Visitors who have been to Europe know that there are a lot of arcs. One of these arcs exists in Lille. It is Porte de Paris. This arc is distinctive among them with its unique, pretty, Instagrammable view. The other name of The Porte de Paris is "Gate of Paris." This is an Arc de Triomphe established in the 17th century to remember Louis XIV's victory. If you are looking for a place to take the most liked Instagram photo, this can be an appropriate trip choice for you.
7. Rang du Beauregard
Another visual evidence of the grandeur of Lille's architecture is Rang du Beauregard. The magnificent 17th –century buildings of the Rang du Beauregard stand on the Place du Theatre opposite the Vieille Bourse. The row of houses was created in 1687 by Symon Vollant. The buildings have harmony with specific design standards aligning with the Vieille Bourse. Its structure with simple classical lines and decorative cartouches like scrolls, cornucopias, and angels looks very attractive. On the other hand, the Rang du Beauregard represents Lilloise Neoclassical Baroque style. So, if you like to see beautiful architecture example, then you should add this monument to your list of "best places to visit in Lille France."
8. Vieille Bourse
Literature lovers, there is one place where you will be astonished. This is Vieille Bourse. This place, also known as the "Old Stock Exchange," possesses one of the city's most iconic views. This building refers to the 17th –century. This historical monument is a collection of 24 identical houses, and these houses' colors and structures are the same. The best time to see the incredible beauty of the buildings' architecture is the morning. At this time, you will get the opportunity to take a remarkable photo of your Instagram account. Also, buying some interesting books can be a great option for what to do in Lille France?.
9. Belfry
If you plan to travel to Lille, you should include the Belfry in your tour direction. This great landscape is protected as a World Heritage Site. The Belfry at City Hall creates your chance to see a splendid 360-degree panorama of Lille. In my opinion, it is a great opportunity to catch an Instagrammable view of the city.
10. Musee Louver-Lens
Do you know about the Musee Louver-Lens? It is a bright modern museum which is located in a park that was formerly a coal mining. The Louvre-Lens Museum represents an exhibit of artworks from the Louvre Museum in Paris. This museum is considered a prestigious cultural attraction in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region. The Grande Galerie of the museum displays artworks in a novel way. You can see a chronological exhibition of more than 200 Louvre artworks from different historical periods in The Galerie du Temps: Antiquity, Middle Ages, and the Modern Era. So, it is worthy of visiting this place to enhance the art worldview.
11. Cathedral Notre-Dame de la Treille
Cathedral Notre-Dame de la Treille can be added to the row of the places to visit in Lille France. This cathedral with a Neo-Gothic structure was built in 1854. The cathedral is on a site where was the shelter of an ancient statue of the Virgin Mary in the Middle Ages. An iron trellis protected the statue, and this fact explains the name of the cathedral. Architect Pierre-Louis Carlier designed this cathedral with a unique architectural style. The most charming feather of the building is its translucent "veil', a metal structure covering the central section of the cathedral. So, if you are looking for Instagrammable places in Lille and magnificent photos for your Instagram account, this is a suitable choice.
12. Le Musee de Plein Air
Another pretty place I want to offer you is Le Musee de Plein Air (The Open Air Museum). It is the site of a historic village community from the 17th and 18th centuries. It was saved from destruction by the Rural Heritage Association in the 1990s, and it has reconstructed a living museum. There are 20 buildings with their original architectural history. It is so beautiful with wonderful gardens which surround it. Also, the museum is sometimes used as a venue for concerts, festivals, and other events. So, you will enjoy just its marvelous scenery. At the end of our dream tour in this city, I would like to recommend being there, just because of these beauties and interesting things to do in Lille France. If you want to see all of them in your eyes, then learn exactly "where is Lille?" and travel.
