Lille

The Essential

Highly recommended

Capital of French Flanders, Lille was also European Capital of Culture in 2004, an opportunity that it grasped to return to the forefront of the French cultural scene. To get a sense of this, head to the Musée des Beaux-Arts or one of the city's more alternative cultural venues, such as the Tripostal or Maisons Folie, and lose yourself in the restored old town. Sample its brasseries and visit September's Grande Braderie, as Lille also likes to party and share its festive spirit...