City of Contradictions
From a large working class French commune to an internationally certified city of culture, Lille has been the subject of extreme transformation in the last century. Lille has liberated itself from the shackles of its poor industrial past to become a modern capital of culture, enterprise and tourism. The city is in a prime location and is quite correctly seen as the gateway to continental Europe with the Eurostar and TGV services offering convenient connections to London in just 80 minutes, Paris in 60 and even Brussels in a speedy half hour. Situated just miles from the Belgium border, the city undoubtedly offers limitless possibilities for travel which will liberate the explorer within and afford you a wealth of cultural and linguistic experience. Culture aside, Lille is a thriving and bustling student city whose close proximity to Belgium is an attractive prospect to those fond of picking up fags and booze at discounted rates. Ultimately, Lille is a handsome and alluring city with an architecture and a culture which reflect the influences of countless countries who’ve claimed this cultural melting pot as their own.