Since it carries the name Bourse it suggests that this used to the the former stock exchange,…read morethough considering that were are now in France I would have thought that the Stock Exchange would have been located in Paris. However, what this place actually is is a market place, and when we wandered through here on Sunday discovered that all of the regional booksellers had descended upon the town to begin selling their wares. Basically you could find quite a number of second-hand French books as well as numerous posters and other things (such as records). There are also a number of shops around the outside that are basically regular shops, but if you are looking for a bargain then definitely step inside and have a bit of a look around.

A brilliant building to check out in the middle of Lille. Inside there is also a book market and…read moresome art works sold which is quite a wonderful use of space in the Old Stock Exchange!

The church of Notre Dame of Brébières in Albert features in many photographs of the First World…read moreWar, due to its famous 'leaning Virgin'. Built between 1885-1895, the basilica was constructed to house the famous 14th-century image of the Virgin Mary, from which the church takes its name, and accommodate the ever more numerous pilgrims coming to venerate the statue. The architect, Edmond Duthoit, designed a spectacular building of red brick and local stone in the Moorish style, with a complex and elaborate interior decorative scheme, featuring frescoes, mosaics and coloured marbles. The focus of the exterior design was a tower 62m high, surmounted by a gilded statue of the Virgin presenting Christ to the world, designed by the sculptor Albert Roze. Unfortunately, Albert was in the centre of hostilities from 1915 until 1918, and the town suffered hugely during the bombardments. In 1915, the basilica was hit by a German shell: this dislodged the statue, which leaned precariously to a near-horzontal position - but it did not fall. It became famous amongst soldiers on both sides of the conflict, inspiring a legend that whichever side caused the statue of the 'Leaning Virgin' to fall, would lose the war. In 1918, Albert was overrun by the German 'Spring offensive', and the basilica once again became the target of attack, as the British sought to prevent the tower from being used as a look-out post. It was a British shell which finally destroyed the tower and the statue in April 1918: the remains of the statue were irrecoverable amongst the rubble. Huge efforts were made after the war to restore the church, with the architect's son, Edouard Duthoit, using his father's original designs. An exact replica of Roze's statue was also constructed, and re-erected, with great ceremony, in 1931. It stands out for miles across the plain of the High Somme as a distinctive landmark, and completely dominates the central square of the town. Although the interior has suffered from water damage, the decorative scheme is largely intact and it is an impressive interior space. The statue of the Virgin is once again a place of pilgrimage, alongside those coming to pay their respects to those lost on both sides of the war which made it famous in the 20th Century.

In this rural area there are not many choices. But this was a lucky find. It is simple clean and…read morecomfortable. Dinner in their own dining room was a pleasant surprise - large salads, great lamb shank and well presented desserts. All good value for money if you're not on a tight budget

Lille is a visually spectacular city, and the Grand Place, for me, was the icing on the cake. To…read morejust sit in this square and marvel at the buildings and soak in the atmosphere is really quite a wonderful thing to do. It's a wonderful place to sit in the sun, and there's a number of bars and eateries in the area too, well worth checking out.

I didn't know about Canadian National Vimy Memorial until this visit. My bad. Canada lost many…read morelives in Vimy, on this site, in World War One. The memorial is beautiful. The various statues symbolize our emotions. The guided tour is the best part of the visit. It includes a short section of a tunnel dug during the war. Our guide explained how the war in Vimy was like, and the conditions the soldiers had to endure above and below ground: Cold and muddy; digging the tunnel by hand then hand carrying the rocks in bags for whatever long distance to get out of the tunnel and bury the bags in mud; mines blowing up just past the trench; hearing the noises of war. As she talked, I felt creeps running down my back. I wouldn't have last a week here, let alone the 3 months the soldiers endured during their rotation. Many Canadians died or suffered here to defend an ideal, to defend freedom. I feel grateful for the freedom and comfort we have nowadays. I have immerse respect for Canadian veterans and soldiers. Please pay a visit when you are near. It is only 1.5 hour drive from Brussels.