Yep, it's a carpark, where you park cars because, honestly, what else does one do in a car park…read more Okay, there probably isn't all that much else that I could say about it, and while it is tempting to suggest that it was central, it seemed as if everybody was swarming to some other part of the town. As such it was rather quiet. Oh, and it was also free, which was a huge bonus because it meant that I could go for a walk and grab a coffee before heading off to our next destination.

From the owner: Entièrement automatique Le métro de Lille est un réseau métropolitain desservant la ville de Lille…read moreet une partie de son agglomération. Il a été le tout premier métro entièrement automatique au monde. Avec 2 lignes en site propre (souterraines ou sur viaducs) d'une longueur totale d'environ 45 kilomètres et 60 stations, il est le plus long réseau de métro automatique au monde.

The small town of St Omer is well-known to many British travellers as one of the first stops in…read moreFrance having arrived at Calais off the ferry. With the TGV rushing straight onto Lille, it's less likely that they'll arrive by train these days, which is a pity, as it has a wonderful railway station. Constructed in 1903, it's a grand building, built in a classical French-chateau style in an attractive creamy-yellow stone. The central booking hall is two storeys high, with large windows and an impressive mansard roof, and is flanked by two symmetrical office buildings. It's an impressive monument, even if, up close, it is a little in need of repair. The station behind is a little disappointing after this initial grandeur, with three platforms, only one of which has a proper canopy. That said, it has all the facilities you'd need for a local journey, including a cafe, ticket windows and information office. There is parking in the square in front and a taxi rank. Situated on the north-east outskirts of the town (about a 15-minute walk from the centre), it's served by the regular and frequent Boulogne-Lille trains and the less frequent Calais-Arras services. Both are operated by the TER (Transport Express Régional) service of the Nord'Pas de Calais region, with new, double-decker electric trains.

From the owner: Parking Nouvelle Aventure, à Wazemmes Près de la rue Gambetta. Attention, cette même place sert au…read moremarché de Wazemmes trois fois par semaine, il est donc interdit d'y stationner pendant ces matinées (dimanche, mardi et jeudi).