Posted on 17th October 2014
This is a story from the FSF archive – the FSF and SD merged to become the FSA in 2019.
These FSF guides are intended to offer a quick snapshot of advice and info for fans ahead of their trips to Europe – if you have any specific questions about the city, how to get there, where to stay or anything else then simply email us your questions. Through our extensive network of contacts at Football Supporters Europe and experience of travelling throughout Europe ourselves, we will be able to answer just about any query you have.
About Lille
LOSC Lille was formed in 1944 as a merger of two clubs, Olympique Lillois and SC Fives. Despite some success early on in their history (a couple of league titles and runners-up positions in the late 40s and early 50s), Lille have typically been overshadowed by their local rivals RC Lens.
In recent years, however, Lille have experienced something of a resurgence. After returning to the top flight in 2000, they have managed to qualify for the Champions League on a number of occasions, and even beat Manchester United in one of their campaigns, in the year that saw United crash out of the group stages, finishing bottom.
Their last silverware came as Champions of Ligue 1 in 2010/11.
About Lille/Main Sights
Lille was something of an industrial city until the arrival of the Eurostar terminal, and the fact that it was awarded the European Capital of Culture in 2004. Now, the city is transformed and restored. There’s a bustling arts scene, several galleries, and the nightlife in the city is beginning to take off in a big way.
The city’s broadly centred around 3 main squares – Place du Theatre, Place Rihour (where you’ll find the tourist office) and Place du General de Gaulle, which is known as the Grand Place.
The main things to tick off your list, if you’re feeling cultural, are the Palais des Beaux Arts and the Musee d’Art Moderne – Lille’s two premier galeries. There’s also the Vieille Bourse, which is the city’s 17th century Stock Exchange building if you fancy a bit of architecture to gaze at, or for the more modern, commercial-driven individual, there’s always the vast EuroLille Mall, adjacent to the Eurostar Terminal.
Our advice would be to just take a wander through the main squares and back streets of Old Lille, where there are some lovely sights to be seen, and where a restorative beer in a café is never far away!
Eating and Drinking
The main area for nightlife are the streets that run off the Rue de Solférino, which is the main street running from the north west to south east of the city. The nearest VAL (metro) stop is at Gambetta, which is to the south of the Solfé, as it is known. There’s a handful of bars dotted along this street, and at the various squares where it intersects with other major roads.
If you’re arriving by train (as so many do to Lille) or are only around for a short time, then you may not to head to the south of the city and the Solfé, but rest assured there are plenty of options within walking distance of the station, in the area of town that’s known as Vieux Lille (or Old Lille). There’s the micro-brewery Omnia Bar on Rue Esquermoise, or Les 3 Brasseurs (The 3 Brewers) on Place de la Gare near the train station, for instance.
Being France, though, there isn’t much of a pub culture, so finding a big strip of bars with neon signs and a load of drunk people stumbling around, while a typical sight in the UK, isn’t how things are done in Lille. You’ll have to embrace the café culture, high prices and all, if you want to go on the drink.
Alternatively, there’s always those little slices of home abroad.
The main (some would say only) Irish Bar in Lille is Tir Na Nog, which can be found on the square at Place Phillipe Le Bon, on Rue Solférino. They have a fairly limited website, but it’s the typical Irish Pub fare.
There’s also MacEwan’s Pub just up the road at Place Sebastopol, and they’ve got a wide range of beer in their English-style pub. We’ve also heard of L’Arms Park, a loosely rugby-themed bar on Solfé, but then none of you would want to head in there, would you?
About Lille/Main Sights
Lille was something of an industrial city until the arrival of the Eurostar terminal, and the fact that it was awarded the European Capital of Culture in 2004. Now, the city is transformed and restored. There’s a bustling arts scene, several galleries, and the nightlife in the city is beginning to take off in a big way.
The city’s broadly centred around 3 main squares – Place du Theatre, Place Rihour (where you’ll find the tourist office) and Place du General de Gaulle, which is known as the Grand Place.
The main things to tick off your list, if you’re feeling cultural, are the Palais des Beaux Arts and the Musee d’Art Moderne – Lille’s two premier galeries. There’s also the Vieille Bourse, which is the city’s 17th century Stock Exchange building if you fancy a bit of architecture to gaze at, or for the more modern, commercial-driven individual, there’s always the vast EuroLille Mall, adjacent to the Eurostar Terminal.
Our advice would be to just take a wander through the main squares and back streets of Old Lille, where there are some lovely sights to be seen, and where a restorative beer in a café is never far away!
With England’s She Believes Cup campaign getting underway shortly, as part of our Free Lionesses service we’ve pulled together some useful links and information for fans who might be making the journey out to the USA to cheer on Phil Neville’s side, who are aiming to retain the trophy they won in 2019.
FSF Cymru have been busy pulling together all the travel and matchday information for fans heading out to Wales’s international games in Croatia and Hungary next month.
England are off to Portugal this week as they prepare for the first-ever finals of the new UEFA Nations League – and the Free Lions team will be on hand to help fans once more.
Following England’s defeat to Holland in Portugal last night the Three Lions will be heading back to Guimarães on Sunday to take on Switzerland in the UEFA Nations League.
