Early in December I took a weekend trip to
Lille, one of the largest cities in France and about an hour north of Saint-Quentin. As a result
of being so near to
Belgium, Lille’s Flemish architecture gives it a different feel from
other towns in northern France. I liked
the look and atmosphere of the city: the wider streets and colorful buildings
were more welcoming and cozy than the austere stone and gothic architecture of
other regions.
We began our trip by visiting the
birthplace of Charles de Gaulle. This
included a walking tour of the house where he grew up, as well as an exhibit
about Franco-German relations over the years. The house was quite nice, but the
exhibit was the most fascinating part of the experience.
After a leisurely lunch (during which, when
I ordered a coffee with my main dish, the waiter stared at me and asked
incredulously “at the SAME TIME?!”), we went to the Lille art museum, one of
the best in the north of France. The
museum was in a lovely building and had a good variety in its collection,
including some impressive Impressionist pieces, a long gallery of porcelain,
and a Rodin among the sculptures.
In the evening we visited Lille’s Christmas
market. It was extremely crowded but very festive—I indulged in vin chaud
(mulled wine), a gauffre (perfectly crispy waffle) with nutella, and a cheesy
pretzel for dinner. We also rode the market’s Ferris wheel, which was much
faster than a regular Ferris wheel and gave us a cool view of the city at
night.
~ Colorful Flemish buildings ~
~ Inside Charles de Gaulle's house ~
~ Lille art museum ~
~ Sculptures ~
~ Van Gogh ~
~ Christmas market and view from the Ferris wheel ~
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