Things to do in Nord-Pas-de-Calais

Visit Lille's most charming district and admire its architecture, shops, and museums on a 2-hour guided walk. Learn about the old town's heritage and history from your guide as you pass Vieux Lille's landmarks and monuments. Some of the attractions you’ll see include the Palais Rihour, the main square, the Old Stock Exchange, the Opera House, the Chamber of Commerce, and Notre-Dame de la Treille Cathedral. The tour will conclude near the Hospice Comtesse. Founded in 1237 by Jeanne de Flandre, the Hospice features a display of works from Lille's past including objects from everyday life, wooden sculptures, earthenware, furniture, and paintings.

What could be nicer than to tour the city comfortably seated in a minibus? This is the perfect way to discover Lille in 75 minutes. Equipped with an audiovisual system in 9 languages (French, English, German, Dutch, Spanish, Italian, Chinese, Japanese and Russian), this city tour by bus offers views of the city’s main sites and monuments, from its origins to the most modern districts. Admire the Goddess statue as you drive past the Place du Général de Gaulle (Grand Place) and see the Opera House, the Chamber of Commerce and the Beauregard Row at the Place du Théâtre. Of course, you will also drive past the Townhall with its Belfry, the Citadel and the Old Paris Gate.

Take a retro guided tour of the beautiful city of Lille on board an iconic Citroen 2CV, as idiosyncratically French as a beret or baguette. Tours can vary from 30 minutes to 1.5 hours, with room for up to 3 passengers. Riding in the famous car, feel the vroom-vroom of its tiny engine (2CV literally means "2 tax horsepower"). Lean over at every bend in the road and enjoy the vintage upholstery. If the weather’s right, you’ll tackle the cobbled streets with the roof rolled back and the wind in your hair. Your driver-guide will tell anecdotes about the city at every nook and cranny en route, and they'll advise you on the best places to go when you’ve regained your street legs. Lille is an ideal city to tour in a 2CV; the streets are narrow, and though the cobbles might shake and rattle your bones a bit, you'll feel every part a native.

Plunge into the depths of the ocean with Nausicaá, the largest public aquarium in Europe, in Boulogne-sur-Mer. Nausicaá invites you to enjoy a unique experience that will delight the whole family. Explore 'Journey on the High Seas', 'Mankind and Shores', and 'In the Eye of the Climate'. The latter includes projections from the floor to the walls and an aural immersion that will help you to learn about the effects of global warming. Total immersion to help you understand your power to act on a daily basis. You'll also meet the 1,600 species that call the aquarium home, such as grey reef sharks and the impressive manta ray. Don't miss some favorite shows: the sea lion's medical training and the finding of the penguins. Book your priority access ticket for this unique attraction that has already captivated 16 million explorers. During your visit, you can take a break in one of three restaurants and relax in an exceptional setting. Don't forget to explore the charms of the Opal Coast and the beauty of the Boulonnais landscape. New Experience 2022: Grand Large – The giants of the High Seas in Augmented Reality Discover the high seas, so little-known and inaccessible, and meet the majestic animals that inhabit them with the help of a world-first augmented reality device in one of Nausicaá's most fascinating spaces: the 100m2 large bay.

Explore the must-see monuments of Lille, one of the most cultural cities in France, with the Lille City Pass. Ride in a convertible bus and visit the Fine Arts Museum of Lille, the Piscine-Museum of Art and Industry in Roubaix, the LaM in Villeneuve d'Ascq, the Museum of Charles de Gaulle's birthplace, and many more places! Take advantage of free visits to the tourist sites of Lille for 24, 48, or 72 hours and receive free, unlimited use of Lille's metropolitan public transport network (metro, bus, tram). Enjoy your visit without the stress of purchasing tickets for the hottest attractions and transportation. The Lille City Pass will relieve your worries and allow you to focus on the fun part of traveling. Not only will it save you time but also money. Enjoy access to the following sites: Fine Arts:Palais des Beaux-Arts de Lille La Piscine, Musée d'Art et d'Industrie André Diligent - Roubaix MUba Eugène Leroy - Tourcoing Le Fresnoy, Studio national des arts contemporains - Tourcoing LaM, Lille Métropole Musée d'art moderne, d'art contemporain, d'art brut - Villeneuve d'Ascq Science and Discoveries:Musée d'Histoire Naturelle - Lille Musée de l'Institut Pasteur de Lille - Lille La Manufacture, musée de la mémoire et de la création textile - RoubaixForum départemental des Sciences - Villeneuve d'Ascq  History and Traditions:Musée de l'Hospice Comtesse - Lille Maison natale Charles de Gaulle - Lille Musée des Canonniers Sédentaires de LilleL'Institut du monde arabe - TourcoingLa Condition Publique - RoubaixMaison Folie Hospice d'Havré - Tourcoing Musée des Moulins - Villeneuve d'AscqMusée des Arts et Traditions Populaires - Wattrelos Musée de la Résistance - Bondues Musée de la Bataille de FromellesFort de Seclin  Listed sites:Villa Cavrois - Croix Beffroi de l'hôtel de ville de Lille Beffroi d'Armentières  Natural areas:Mosaïc, le Jardin des Cultures - Houplin Ancoisne Les Près du Hem - Armentières Musée de Plein Air - Villeneuve d'Ascq 

Get to know Lille at your own pace on this interactive scavenger hunt walking tour played on your phone. Decipher riddles, interact with the most important attractions of the city, and unlock interesting facts and legends. An ideal outdoor activity for first time visitors, couples, groups, families, and children. Can be used as a great team-building activity. After downloading the app, start your tour at the imposing Beffroi de Lille, a symbol of the city. Visit Republic square, explore the narrow streets, admire medieval gates like Porte De Paris, and feel the vibes of La Vieille Bourse.  At each stop, learn about the attraction and solve a location-based riddle that can only be solved if you reach the specific location. Use logic, imagination, observation, and team spirit to unlock the correct code and reveal the next destination of the city sightseeing game. Pass by the Pl. du Général de Gaulle, Gothic Paroisse Saint Maurice, and the iconic La Vieille Bourse. You will have to uncover clues at each attraction to get to the next point.  Receive interesting facts and information about the places you visit through the app. Your next stop will be Beffroi de la Chambre de Commerce, one of the main attractions of the city.  You can pause or resume the tour whenever you want. The icing on the cake of this route will be Notre-Dame-de-la-Treille, with its strange architecture.  Explore the city at your own pace and stop to take some pictures on the way. Feel the thrill as you solve each puzzle with exciting clues and hop from one landmark to another.

Choose to start your 2-hour Segway tour of Lille by getting picked up from your accommodation or meeting your guide at the starting point. Wander along the walls of the well-preserved Citadelle and get acquainted with 17th-century military architecture. Then, head to the heart of the Old Town and soak in the elegant atmosphere of "le Vieux-Lille" in front of the neo-Gothic Notre-Dame de la Treille. From there, wander on to reach the oldest monument in Lille: the Hospice Comtesse. Originally used as a hospital, the Hospice Comtesse today hosts a historical museum that immerses you in the lifestyle and historical events of previous centuries. Next, ride along the Rue de Gand, taking time to appreciate its collection of typical "estaminets" (combination cafe-pub-restaurants). Leap back into the 21st century with a stop in Euralille, the modern commercial center that shows how the capital city of Flanders has changed with the times. Finally, arrive at La Place du Théâtre and La Grand Place to check out the Opera and the famous Vieille Bourse, the old stock exchange that stands today as one of the city's most important monuments.

Get to know Lille at your own pace on this interactive scavenger hunt walking tour. You'll explore the city on foot and get points for solving different types of tasks: Find sights: You will use hints to find the best sights and hidden gems throughout the city. The map function in the app will help you get there. Solve questions: Once you’ve arrived at the place you’re looking for, you’ll be asked questions about the sight. Most of the time, the answers are hidden in signs, pictures, etc. A great and fun way to learn new things about the city. Have fun: During the adventure you can also expect exciting photo tasks that require a lot of creativity. If you master the snapshots, you will be rewarded with points. Along the way, you’ll reach amazing places like the “Grand place”, “Palais Rihour”, “îlot Comtesse”, “Place Aux Oignons” and many more! After you book the game, you’ll get a game code via email with instructions on how to play. Head to “The Grand'Place” and use the code to unlock the game in the app. The tour ends at the “Maison Méert”. The experience is not limited in time. You can explore the city at your own pace and take breaks. Just download the Explorial-App, go to the starting point, and you’re ready to start with the game. The tour lasts on average about 1-2 hours.

Get on the Harry Potter trail in Lille! Access to platform 9 ¾ has been locked! Impossible to board the Hogwarts Express from the King's Cross station. It is now in the capital of Flanders that the access to the track is located... It is up to you Muggles to thwart this spell by finding the way to the platform! You have to go to the emblematic Grand'Place to start this magical word hunt. Beware: the train will pass by in 2 hours! Cross the city guided by your smartphone and find the location of each house. To win it's simple, you just have to guess 4 code words within the time limit. These are the ones that will help you discover the access to the platform. To validate each passage in the different houses, you will have to guess key clues. You will have to link them together to find THE code word. The program includes puzzle solving, meeting wizards and bonus cauldrons. The Hogwarts Express will leave in 120 minutes. Tick tock tock...

In Bruges you will enjoy the view of the peaceful Lake of Love and the picturesque Beguinage. Your guide will explain the stories and secrets behind the city’s history from the Viking period until the end of the Middle Ages. Catch many of the highlights of Bruges: the Basilica of the Holly blood of Jesus, the Belfry tower, our Lady’s Church, Saint John’s hospital and enjoy a pleasant boat trip along the narrow canals. After a short lunch break you willl leave for Flanders Fields. Your expert guide will lead you throughout the visit to help you understand the events that led to the first world war and how the catastrophe developed. Visit Passchendaele battlefield and the Tyne Cot Cemetery, the largest Commonwealth cemetery in the world where British, Australian and Canadian soldiers were laid to rest. Close by is Polygone where every year Anzac Day is celebrated at dawn. Then visit the Monument of the ‘Brooding Soldier’, which commemorates the sacrifice of 2,000 Canadian soldiers during the first German gas attack. Next, your coach will take you to Essex Farm. This was the dressing station where Dr. John McCrae wrote the famous poem ‘In Flanders Fields.’ After a set lunch in the outskirts of Ypres, drive to France to visit the awesome Vimy Memorial, museum and trenches. If time allows, you will also visit close to Ypres Hill 60 where Australian diggers detonated great underground mines. At 8:00 PM, you attend the Last Post Ceremony at Menin Gate, a daily tribute to all Commonwealth soldiers and officers that were missing after battle. The tour offers ample opportunity for reflection and to take pictures.