Top 7 activities in Lille

Has your stay in Lille finally begun? Whether you’re staying for a weekend or a week, there are some incredible activities waiting for you! And most of them are very affordable.

Rest assured, you won’t have to break the bank to enjoy the best of Lille.

Historically, the Hauts-de-France region has not been spared. Its inhabitants have lived in harsh agricultural, industrial and mining environments. Poverty spared no-one, and the many foreign invasions only accentuated this fragility. Nevertheless, this has never stopped the people of Lille from keeping smiling and maintaining their famous conviviality.

In 2022, Lille was the fourth best place in France to live with your family! Proof, if proof were needed, that money can’t buy happiness. But that doesn’t mean that the city hasn’t developed. On the contrary, with the advent of industrialisation, life here is rich, lively and rather comfortable. During your activities, you’ll still be able to appreciate the popular way of life of the people of Lille. Particularly when it comes to rustic gastronomy or yet another beer tasting!

What to do in Lille? 7 ideas for activities

Between culture, gastronomy, thrills and downright unusual activities, you won’t have time to look at the clock. Whatever you fancy during your getaway, there’s bound to be an activity in Lille to suit you.

To make the most of your stay, without wasting precious minutes searching, discover our selection of the best activities in Lille.

1. Drive around Lille in an authentic 2CV

photo credit Get your guide

Category: €€ / Unusual / Gastronomic / Cultural

Description: Let the city reveal itself to you in a whole new light. In a 2CV car, start one of the 4 tours proposed by your driver. Take to the streets of the capital of Hauts-de-France, with the unique sound of this little cult car. The streets, must-see monuments and unusual places will be commented on live. You’ll be treated to anecdotes and charming discoveries! The tour will also be punctuated by tastings of artisanal products, in the warmest of atmospheres.

2. An introduction to vitality cuisine

Category: €€ / Gastronomic

Description: Join Séverine for a cooking and nutrition workshop in Lille. You’ll learn the basics of nutrition by concocting a delicious seasonal, gourmet and plant-based menu from start to finish. Each recipe is adapted to the diet of the participants (intolerances, allergies, etc.) so that you can make the most of the workshop. With just the right mix of theory and practice, you’ll be able to add to your notebook with tasty recipes that are easy to reproduce at home.

3. Taking on an elite agent mission

photo credit funbooker

Category: €€ / Sensations / Sporty

Description: Put on the boots of an elite agent in this 6,000 m² sports park! You’ll have to dodge the pitfalls and solve the logical riddles of the four districts to be able to claim the title. Indoors, let off steam with friends and family in this extraordinary adventure. Form a team of elite agents and solve a two-hour impossible mission. Together, you’ll have just one goal: to reach the final mission!

4. Challenge yourself in a music quiz

photo credit funbooker

Category: €€ / Unusual / Cultural

When? All year round.

Description: Who will win the music blind test? Come and take up the challenge at Musi’Quiz, France’s leading music challenge centre. Nostalgic for the Top 50, the 80s, 90s, 2000s, film music or cartoons… Come and challenge your friends or family to a series of ever more original music quizzes! With 8 challenges and over 3,000 songs, you’ll feel like you’re on a TV show.

Good to know: Feeling hungry? Order a snack or a drink during or after your gaming session. A bar will be at your disposal to keep you in top form.

5. Explore the Lille Museum of Natural History

Category: € / Cultural

When to visit All year round.

Description : Whether you’re just starting out or you’d like to get your kids back in touch with museums… You know where to go! Since 1822, this wonderful and evolving place has been welcoming visitors to the former town hall of the capital of Hauts-de-France. Here, you and your family can retrace the history of mankind, of life and, more broadly, of the Earth. There’s plenty to marvel at and discover, as well as offering a rich cultural break for children and parents alike.

Good to know: Find out more at the museum or directly on the site if you’d like to take part in a fun family workshop. The Lille Natural History Museum organises several of these every week.

6. Take to the skies in a free-fall simulator

photo credit shutterstock

Category: €€€ / Unusual / Sensations

When? All year round.

Description: Why not take advantage of your stay in Lille to get some height? Better still, experience the thrill of a free-fall simulator. With the training and supervision of our instructors, take to the skies with your eyes closed (or almost). This unique experience is best shared by a small group of adventurers. Even children are invited to take the plunge! At the end of your session, you’ll all go home with your first flight diploma in hand – great, isn’t it?

Good to know: Children are welcome too! With the guidance of an instructor, the youngest will discover unique sensations that they won’t soon forget. And for those who prefer to keep their feet firmly planted on the ground, the site offers virtual reality sessions to surprise you from the ground.

7. Improvise yourself as a brewmaster by visiting a local brewery

Category: € / Gastronomic / Cultural

When? All year round, on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

Description : Everything you need to know about craft beer making is now at your fingertips. For around 1? hours, the team will take you through the brewing, fermentation and bottling processes, so you’ll know everything there is to know! For even more immersion, you can taste and smell the raw materials used in Lille beers (malt, hops). Naturally, the tour will end with a tasting of 3 different beers in galopin format.

Good to know: The brewery can be reached in 25 minutes by metro from Lille. During your visit, your guide will adapt his talk to the different levels of knowledge of each person. Please note that you must book online to take part.