Week-end Escapade à Lille

Our weekend getaway brought us to the lovely city of Lille, about 125 miles to the north of Paris.  Students packed their bags and loaded themselves into the buses after school on Friday.  After arriving, students unpacked and had some time to discover their surroundings before we all got together for a group dinner at the auberge de jeunesse (youth hostel).  

The next day, we woke up early for breakfast and headed into the city center for guided walking tours.  We learned that Lille is known in France as "the capital of Flanders" with a long history dating back to the Middle Ages.  Although Lille is known for it's colder temperatures, it was a bright and sunny day for us! During the walk, we stopped at the cathedral (Notre-Dame-de-la-Treille de Lille). Students had varying opinions about the gothic revival style of architecture.  The contruction of the church spanned nearly 150 years, beginning in the 1850's.  After a picnic lunch, we headed indoors to visit the Palais des Beaux-Arts de Lille.  Students had time to visit the varying styles of art, including modern as well as antiquities.  We then had some free time to explore the city center before dining at Les Trois Brasseurs as a group.  

Before heading back to Paris, we stopped for a visit at les Halles de Wazemmes, a covered market that's been around since 1869.  Students practiced their bargaining skills with local vendors offering fish, cheese, dairy, fruit and more.  After a fun-filled weekend in Lille, many students opted to nap on the ride back "home" to Paris.