One of the best things about London is how easy it is to get to Europe. It's under 1.5hours to the French city of Lille, a sort of hidden gem. Though not large, it's pretty charming and makes for a perfect London day trip by train. I've been several times, so scroll down for my top tips!
Lille is 1 of my favorite train trips from London which are under 2.5 hours! On my last visit in 2025, I stayed at Aparthotel Adagio Lille Centre Grand Place for a week.
Here are my top things to do, see, and eat in the little city!
Things to Do
- Musee des Beaux Arts: this amazing art museum is housed in a beautiful building an easy walk from Lille's old town. It was beautifully curated, with interesting exhibitions, and I actually preferred it to the more famous Louvre! (Closed on Tuesdays. If you enter late in the afternoon, you get a discounted ticket!)
- Explore the Old Town: Complete with cobblestoned streets and cute shops, this is my top thing to do in Lille.
- Check out posters and second hand books at La Vieille Bourse: browsing second hand books is such a French way to spend the afternoon. They have both English and French books here, as well as cheap posters from 5 Euros. But a store holder warned me to beware of pickpockets! (Generally not as big of an issue in Lille as it is in Paris so one can get complacent.)
- Have a Maison Meert: this famous waffle cafe is housed in a beautiful building in the Lille Old Town. They're famous for their filled waffles, or Gaufre Fourrée de Lille. I'll be honest- I wasn't blown away by the taste so I've not returned since my 1st trip (the queue can be bad) but it's a quintessential Lille experience!
Restaurants
- Estaminets: Lille is known for its Flemish-style taverns, known as Estaminets. I'm not a huge fan of Flemish food, which is probably why I've not found an Estaminet with food that I enjoyed. Estaminet La CH'TITE BRIGITTE was probably the best 1 I tried- they have 2 premises which are almost always packed- if you're on your own you'll most likely be asked to sit at the (very squeezy) bar in the smaller outlet.
- Les Compagnons de la Grappe: This was one of the better local restaurants that I tried. (I had the chicken maroilles, a local specialty.) It's fun and quite busy with a nice terrace. (FYI They do ask for a tip though, which isn't really common in France.)
- Lille has a number of Michelin-starred restaurants which do amazing-value lunch sets!
Tips
- The Eurostar doesn't stop at Lille for long and the station's sign isn't very obvious from the train. You need to pay attention so you won't miss it- on our 1st visit, my Mom and I actually didn't get off in time so we ended up in Brussels (the next stop on the Eurostar route.) Luckily, the Eurostar people were nice and let us take the return train to Lille for free!
Where to Stay
- Hotel Barriere Lille: The hotel is super conveniently located, close to the train station, the shopping centre Euralille, and within walking distance of Vieux Lille (the cutest part of town.)
- Aparthotel Adagio Lille Centre Grand Place: I wanted somewhere with a kitchen (to save money on eating out) so I chose Adagio. The outside isn't the prettiest but the interiors are stylish and modern, the rooms were clean, and the location central. I was also very impressed by the fact that the receptionist emailed me on the day I checked out, to let me know that I had left my power bank in the room. (Just be careful not to confuse this hotel with Adagio Access Lille Vauban, where the ratings aren't as good!)
- Hotel Clarance: If you want to treat yourself, why not check out Hotel Clarance? it has (in my opinion) the BEST location, being in the middle of Vieux Lille. And if you're a foodie, there's an in-house Michelin-Starred restaurant.
Getting There
Direct train from London St Pancras Station to Lille Europe. (This is 1 of Lille's 2 train stations, the other is Lille Flandres.)
Travel time: 1h 22 minutes
Expert Tips
- French restaurants often close in between meals, so plan your meal times carefully. (You'll find chains and fast food places open at irregular hours, but one of the best things about visiting France is eating at their family owned eateries!)
- If there are restaurants you definitely want to visit, make sure to book as many places are small.
- Michelin-starred restaurants have lunch sets which are great value, but only on certain ays of the week.
Any questions about visiting Lille, France from London? Let me know in the comments
