 From November 24th to December 30th 2010
Lille's Christmas Market is the first to open in France each year!
More than 900.000 visitors each year !
In December, Lille is a winter wonderland…
With the wave of a magic wand, Lille is once again wrapped up in the Christmas spirit ! The entire city sparkles and its beautiful façades disappear beneath lavish decorations.
Ambience
Take rue Faidherbe or rue Nationale towards the city centre. Here, you'll be dazzled by thousands of twinkling lights !
When you reach the Grand'Place, the wonder will overwhelm you ! Christmas carols fill the air as the 50-metre high Big Wheel turns majestically, providing its guests with an incredible view of the city. At its base, the reproduction of a snow-covered village, complete with cottages, a chapel, and even a frozen pond where children ice-skate, fills the entire square !
Next, head towards Old Lille where each street is uniquely decorated, from the elegant rue de la Grande Chaussée and rue de la Monnaie with their countless evergreen garlands embellished with red and gold ribbons, to the trendy rue Esquermoise where huge disco balls dance overhead !
Follow the irresistible aroma of cinnamon and roasted chestnuts to Place Rihour where, for over a month, you can find more than 80 chalets of the Christmas Market. Here, merchants and craftspeople offer original and delightful gift ideas: regional products, gingerbread and other delicacies to try on the spot or take away, nativity figurines and Christmas decorations, traditional toys, Russia, German, Canadian and Polish specialties, and much more.
After enjoying a glass of mulled wine at the market or at one of the cafés nearby, let your dream continue by accepting the invitation to indulge in other enchanting pleasures. Indeed, numerous events highlight this festive month. Of course, one of the most long-awaited events is the arrival of Father Christmas, and for good reason! Wrapped up in his warm red coat and carrying his precious sack, he descends the 76-metre-tall belfry of the Chamber of Commerce every year to distribute sweets. What a sight to see ! Children can also meet and have their picture taken with him at the Christmas Market, and everyone is able to enjoy the choral concerts that take place in the different churches in the city centre.
Shopping
The holiday spirit can be found in every district, with shop windows each vying to be the most original. Shopping becomes an immense pleasure in a city glowing with joie de vivre.
Old Lille is the ideal place to discover the great names in fashion and design.
Numerous antique shops and art galleries line the streets and a pleasant market takes place at the Place du Concert every Sunday morning.
In the centre and on the pedestrian streets, you'll find the department stores and international chain stores. On the Grand Place, the Furet du Nord is one of the biggest bookshops in Europe!
In the station district, the Euralille shopping centre, designed by Jean Nouvel, houses a hundred shops, restaurants and a hypermarket beneath its futuristic lines.
The multi-ethnic Wazemmes district is the place to come bargain hunting in the bazaars and discount shops of the Rue Gambetta district.
Useful information
The Christmas market is open daily and is located Place Rihour
Closed on December 25
You can take a look at the Lille Christmas Market website too: www.noel-a-lille.com/ |
LILLE CHRISTMAS MARKET
