RunCity

Lille on foot: a self-guided walking route

This route takes you past 9 of Lille's best-known sights, including Palais des Beaux-Arts, Porte de Paris, Lille Belfry and more. It is about 4.5 km on foot, roughly 2 hours at an easy pace with short stops. Follow the list on your own, or play it as a free GPS checkpoint game with RunCity and race the clock on the Lille leaderboard.

  • 9Stops
  • about 4.5 kmDistance
  • 2 hoursWalking
  • about 45 minRunning
Play Lille in RunCity

Free during launch. Runs in your phone's browser; the app is in English, German and Hungarian.

Lille
Photo: Cereol89, Velvet · CC BY-SA 4.0

Lille's route covers the Flemish old town and the 19th-century centre in about 4.5 km on flat streets. It starts at the Palais des Beaux-Arts, one of the largest art museums in France, and the Porte de Paris, a triumphal arch built for Louis XIV. The tall brick belfry above the town hall is a UNESCO-listed tower you can climb.

The brick front of Lille-Flandres station, the curved Opera and the Grand'Place lead to the Vieille Bourse, whose courtyard holds second-hand book stalls and, on summer evenings, tango dancers. In Vieux-Lille, the cathedral's modern stone façade and the brick courtyard of the Hospice Comtesse follow, and the route ends at the bonus stop, the Citadel Park around Vauban's star-shaped fortress. Try a waffle at Méert, the old pastry shop on Rue Esquermoise; the old town is best explored on foot.

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Download the route as GPX (for Komoot, Strava or a watch)

The stops

A suggested order. In the game you can visit them in any order.

  1. Palais des Beaux-Arts

    Palais des Beaux-Arts

    The grand 19th-century museum façade on its square.

    Photo: Velvet · CC BY-SA 3.0

  2. Porte de Paris

    Porte de Paris Photo

    The triumphal arch built for Louis XIV.

    Photo: Velvet · CC BY-SA 4.0

  3. Lille Belfry

    Lille Belfry Photo

    The tall brick belfry tower above the town hall.

    Photo: Velvet · CC BY-SA 4.0

  4. Lille-Flandres Station

    Lille-Flandres Station

    The brick station front with its clock, a short walk from the old town.

    Photo: Velvet · CC BY-SA 4.0

  5. Lille Opera

    Lille Opera

    The curved neoclassical façade of the opera house.

    Photo: Chabe01 · CC BY-SA 4.0

  6. Grand'Place and Vieille Bourse

    Grand'Place and Vieille Bourse Photo

    The Flemish Renaissance courtyard of the old stock exchange.

    Photo: PIERRE ANDRE LECLERCQ · CC BY-SA 4.0

  7. Lille Cathedral

    Lille Cathedral Photo

    The tall modern stone façade of the cathedral with its rose window.

    Photo: Christophe.Finot · CC BY-SA 2.5

  8. Hospice Comtesse

    Hospice Comtesse

    The old Flemish hospital buildings round their brick courtyard.

    Photo: Velvet · CC BY-SA 3.0

  9. Citadel Park

    Citadel Park Bonus Photo

    The star-shaped fortress and its moat, seen from the park.

    Photo: Piocrr · CC BY-SA 3.0

Play Lille in RunCity

Leaderboard

    Questions

    Can you see Lille on foot in one day?

    Yes. The 9 stops on this route add up to about 4.5 km, roughly 2 hours at an easy pace with short stops.

    Is this self-guided walking tour free?

    Yes. The route and map on this page are free, and the RunCity game for Lille is free during launch.

    How does the RunCity game work in Lille?

    Open Lille in RunCity, walk to a stop and tap Validate: your phone's GPS confirms you are there. Some stops also ask for a photo. Timed runs go on the Lille leaderboard.

    Where does the route start?

    This page suggests starting at Palais des Beaux-Arts and finishing at Citadel Park. In the game you can take the stops in any order.

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