Lille and Roubaix - Magazine | Travel Magazine Belgium

A weekend in Lille and Roubaix: style, history and a city worth more time

Lille sits roughly 380 km from Paris and 100 km from Brussels, accessible by train or car in a journey that requires no particular effort. We spent a weekend across Lille and its smaller neighbour Roubaix, enough for a serious look at this corner of northern France, though not enough to exhaust what either city offers. We left with a clear impression and a reason to return.

Published 15 December 2025

Villa Cavrois: A Modernist Beauty in Roubaix

First stop: Roubaix

The logical sequence is to begin in Roubaix and move into Lille. Roubaix is smaller and easier to read quickly. It was once a centre of textile production and carries that industrial past in its bones, but the city has reoriented itself around architecture and a creative scene that gives it a character distinct from its larger neighbour.

The central reason to come here is Villa Cavrois. Designed in the early 1930s by architect Robert Mallet-Stevens for the Cavrois family, this modernist villa is one of the most significant cultural landmarks in the region and, frankly, one of the most compelling houses in France. The geometry is clean and deliberate, the interiors spacious and considered, with early integrated technology including built-in radios, polished marble finishes and custom-designed furniture, much of it restored using original or identical 1930s pieces. Plan at least two hours. The gardens and terraces reward time in good weather, and the building deserves to be read slowly rather than walked through quickly. Villa Cavrois is located at 60 avenue John Fitzgerald Kennedy, 59170 Croix.

Villa Cavrois website

Lunch: Le Bo Jardin

After Villa Cavrois, we had lunch at Le Bo Jardin, a restaurant set beside a small lake in a park just outside Roubaix. The terrace is calm and unhurried, a good counterpoint to the architectural intensity of the morning. The menu runs through French classics, handled without pretension. We ordered the Croquettes de Crevettes Artisanales and the Salade Poulet Croustillant, both well prepared and straightforward. It is not a destination restaurant, but it does not need to be. As a lunch stop after Villa Cavrois, it earns its place on the itinerary.

Arriving in Lille

From Roubaix, Lille is a short drive. We parked at the hotel without difficulty and moved into the city on foot. Lille is a walkable city with a density of good architecture, independent shops and a student population that keeps the streets lively without tipping into chaos. The Flemish influence is visible in the old town, in the brick façades, the steep rooflines and the covered arcades that make the city navigable in most weather.

Travel Magazine tip: use the very handy website of Hello Lille to plan your visit.

Stay: Le Couvent des Minimes

We stayed at Le Couvent des Minimes, a four-star hotel housed in a former convent built between 1622 and 1638, declared a historical monument in 1977 and converted into a hotel in 1990. The red brick façade and vaulted ceilings have been preserved with care, and the result is a property that carries its history without performing it.

We stayed in a 'Tradition' room. The location is one of the property's strongest assets, with Old Lille and its boutiques within easy reach and private parking on site, which matters in a city centre. The room itself was adequate but unremarkable. The décor feels dated, and the overall atmosphere leans more towards a mid-range hotel chain than a boutique property with genuine character. Given the building's history and architectural credentials, that gap between the public spaces and the guest rooms is noticeable. The nearby Bois de Boulogne is useful for a morning run if the city streets do not appeal.
Breakfast is generous and varied, served in a setting that suits the building's rhythm.

Website Couvent des Minimes

The writer stayed at Couvent de Mimimes as a guest of the hotel. Editorial judgement remains independent.

Dinner: Nu

For a stylish night out in Lille, book a table at Nu—a restaurant, bar, and rooftop lounge all in one.

Why Visit Nu?

Centrally located with panoramic rooftop views over Lille
Ideal for sunset aperitifs with cocktails or wine
Offers a refined dining experience in a modern, vibrant setting

Start your evening on the rooftop terrace for drinks, then move inside for dinner. Nu is a popular spot for locals and visitors looking to combine atmosphere and fine cuisine.

Dinner at Nū: Rooftop Vibes & Fine Plates

Dinner: Nu

For dinner we booked a table at Nu, a restaurant, bar and rooftop lounge on Avenue Le Corbusier, across from Euralille. We started on the rooftop terrace with aperitifs before moving inside for dinner, the correct sequence. The views over Lille from the rooftop are wide and worth the early arrival.

Inside, the kitchen operates with ambition. We began with fresh oysters served with an apple condiment, and a matured beef tartare with sweet onion and truffle. The main course was roasted prawns with pesto risotto, peas and black olive sauce, a dish that held together well. The food is refined without being rigid, and the kitchen shows a clear point of view.

Champagne Mandois, cuvée Maniac, a Blanc de Blancs Premier Cru

The house Champagne deserves a specific mention. Nu serves a Blanc de Blancs Premier Cru, the Cuvée Maniac from Champagne Mandois, made from 100% Chardonnay grapes and aged on lees for more than four years. Soft citrus, a hint of toasted brioche and a fine, clean finish. It matched the food and the mood of the evening without effort.

During dinner, a female vocalist performed, followed by a DJ playing a measured mix of lounge, jazz and soft house. The music added atmosphere without overwhelming the room, which is precisely the right balance and rarer than it should be.

Access : Boutique du restaurant / Rez-de-chaussée, 93 Avenue Le Corbusier (Across Euralille)
Website

Shopping

Lille takes shopping seriously, and the offer divides cleanly into two registers. Rue de Béthune and the Euralille shopping centre carry the major fashion brands and international retailers. Vieux-Lille is the more interesting half of the equation, with independent boutiques, chocolatiers, art galleries and concept stores spread across the cobblestone streets.

Guided walking tour

One of the more useful decisions we made was joining a guided walking tour departing from the Tourist Office at Palais Rihour. The tour runs approximately two hours and is available in French and English. It moves through the old streets and past historic façades, covering Lille's evolution from its medieval roots in the County of Flanders through to the mix of Flemish, Gothic, Renaissance and Art Nouveau styles that define the centre today. The cathedral and the rows of townhouses reward this kind of structured attention. For a first visit, the tour provides the framework that independent wandering rarely delivers as efficiently.

More information on this page.

Palais des Beaux-Arts

We visited the Palais des Beaux-Arts on a rainy afternoon, which turned out to be the right moment. It is one of the most important art museums in France outside Paris, and the building itself, a grand 19th-century structure with classical galleries, justifies the visit independently of the collection. The permanent holdings include works by Rubens, Van Dyck, Goya and Delacroix, covering ancient art through to the 20th century. The entrance hall is worth pausing in: two large chandeliers by Gaetano Pesce introduce a contemporary note against the historic architecture that works better than it has any right to.

Website

Our verdict

A weekend covers the essentials without exhausting the city. Lille rewards the visitor who arrives with some preparation and leaves the car behind. Roubaix is not optional; Villa Cavrois alone justifies the detour. The combination of the two cities, each with a distinct character and a short distance between them, makes this one of the stronger city break options in northern France.

Practical note: Lille City Pass

We used a 48-hour Lille City Pass, which covers free access to more than 27 attractions including the City Tour, the Old Town walking tour, the Palais des Beaux-Arts, the Hôtel de Ville belfry and the birthplace of General de Gaulle. 24, 48 and 72-hour options are available. The 72-hour version extends to 11 additional activities across the Nord-Pas de Calais region and includes a regional train ticket. For a structured short break, it removes the friction from the visit and pays for itself quickly.

Website