Northern France is the perfect destination for an easy city break. Lille, the capital of the Northern France region is a contemporary, lively and culturally rich city, reached in under 90 minutes from London by Eurostar or an hours drive from Calais.
Shopping and wandering the quaint pebbled laneways in Lille is just as charming as a visit to Paris. You will be pulled by curiosity into hidden courtyards, intriging shops and enticing cafés. The food scene here is serious, and is easy to find a good meal to satisfy that good French food desire. Main attractions include the old town - Vieux Lille, the Palais des Beaux Arts and the Lille Museum of Modern Art. If time permits, and it must, head out to Roubaix by metro - known as the Soho of Lille, it's home to an the incredible art museum La Piscine, housed in an old Art Deco swimming pool. It is breathtaking.
Amiens is another weekend city break option under 2 hours from Calais. Amiens is a charming town with three main points of interest. Its UNESCO listed Amiens Cathedral, its atmospheric network of canals running through the center of town with restaurants and quaint shops dotted along its banks, and the Hortillonnages floating market gardens which you can visit by boat.
The hilltop medieval town of Laon, the Art Deco town of Saint Quentin, the coast town of Le Touquet or St Omer are quieter options for a lovely urban break. Don't miss the city of Arras with its two famous flemish places, its lovely terraces to enjoy the french art de vivre.
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