Grand Place
The Basics
A major plaza and a popular meeting point, Lille’s historic Grand Place is also an architectural showcase. The Old Town square features buildings that span the centuries, from Flemish-style stepped-gable constructions from the 17th century to modern, 20th-century landmarks. The square is crowned by the Column of the Goddess, which commemorates the Siege of Lille in 1792. See the Grand Place on a host of tour itineraries, including walking, biking, and driving tours.
Things to Know Before You Go
Be sure to visit Le Furet du Nord bookstore when you stop by Lille’s Grand Place—it’s one of Europe’s largest.
The Grand Place hosts a popular annual Christmas market, complete with stalls, a tree, and a luminous Ferris wheel.
Venture into the Vieille Bourse’s courtyard on afternoons from Tuesday–Sunday, when it hosts a flower and used book market.
How to Get There
The Grand Place can be reached by numerous forms of public transit. The square is a quick trip from Lille’s two main train stations (the Gare de Lille Europe and the Gare de Lille Flandres) and is served by Lille’s Metro and numerous bus lines, including the Vieux-Lille Shuttle. It’s best explored on foot.
Trip ideas
When to Get There
Lille’s Grand Place is a must-visit, whether drenched by sunlight or illuminated after dark. Many of the area’s landmarks operate according to typical business hours, so it’s best to explore earlier in the day to take full advantage of area attractions.
Major Landmarks Near the Grand Place
Many tours of Lille’s Old Town begin at the Grand Place—and there's little wonder why. The square is surrounded by several of the city’s top attractions, including the Vieille Bourse (Old Stock Exchange) and the Théâtre du Nord. Other nearby highlights range from the Opéra de Lille to the Notre-Dame-de-la-Treille Cathedral.
- Things to do in Nord-Pas de Calais
- Things to do in Bruges
- Things to do in Brussels
- Things to do in Zaventem
- Things to do in Dordrecht
- Things to do in Rotterdam
- Things to do in Marne-la-Vallée
- Things to do in Paris
- Things to do in Amsterdam
- Things to do in Horley
- Things to do in Stansted Mountfitchet
- Things to do in Luxembourg City
- Things to do in Deauville City
- Things to do in Flanders
- Things to do in South Holland
- Lille Old Town (Vieux Lille)
- Lille Cathedral (Cathédrale Notre-Dame-de-la-Treille)
- Hospice Comtesse Museum (Musée de l'Hospice Comtesse)
- Museum of the Gunners in Lille (Musée des Canonniers Sédentaires de Lille)
- Lille Town Hall and Belfry (Beffroi de l'Hôtel de Ville de Lille)
- Birthplace of Charles de Gaulle (Maison Natale de Charles de Gaulle)
- Lille Natural History Museum (Musée d'Histoire Naturelle de Lille)
- Lille Museum of Fine Arts (Palais des Beaux Arts de Lille)
- Science Forum (Forum Departmental Des Sciences)
- Lille Métropole Museum of Modern, Contemporary and Outsider Art (LAM)
- Villa Cavrois
- Le Fresnoy National Studio for Contemporary Arts (Le Fresnoy Studio National des Arts Contemporains)
- La Piscine Museum (Musée d'Art et d’Industrie André Diligent)
- La Manufacture de Roubaix
- Maison Folie Hospice d'Havré