I really enjoyed this military area and zoo. Also really enjoyed Oasis Lille Citadelle. Great food…read moreand drinks!

be careful...i didn't know this was an active military area…read more.. i sorta ignored the humvees on the road until this french DND: do not disturb sign stopped me OOPS!~ luckily i found another entrance to the citadel through a park area with that said, i *stumbled* upon my favorite historical building in lille! the famed architect vauban nicknamed it "QUEEN of citadels" ~*~ the expansive grounds is a pentagon shaped built in the 1600s...these days there are loads of forests and riverways that surround/run through this place there are a number of dirt and paved routes that intersect this entire place i just kept thinking all my marathon friends would LOVE to run here~ ~*~ suggested activities: exercise picnic family time~ ~*~ PS. if you're lucky, you might randomly run into the resident yak! ;p

It's a great place to have a walk or a ride. If you turn…read morehungry after that, you have the possibility to get some energy from the Qanta restaurant. It's also ideal for running around the lake or on the little hills on the side. If your legs follow your heart, you can run through the forest and pass by the LAM to finish the ring.

The zoo in Lille is something quite fun to do when in Lille. Admission is free which is awesome…read morefor one thing. There is a cool selection of random animals including porcupines, guinea pigs, monkeys, lamas, and more. My favorite was the peacocks that just walk around zoo wherever they please. This is not the most amazing zoo of course, but it's fun and somewhere that you can be with locals and not feel like such a tourist.

Okay, it is pretty small for a zoo, but it is also free so that probably should actually count for…read moresomething. Actually that should could for a lot because even though it is free doesn't necessarily mean that it is bad, and this zoo is a good example of that. Okay, the collection isn't all that big, but there are some impressive animals here, including a repitle house. However because the reptile house is usually dark, you generally have to wait to be permitted entrance namely because they don't actually have one of those dark room entrances. Still, it was pretty cool.

From the owner: Un îlot de calme et de verdure Derrière l'Hôtel de Ville, ce tout petit square très fleuri et…read moreparticulièrement bien aménagé a le rare mérite d'être vraiment calme. De plus, on peut profiter d'un arrêt dans ce lieu pour admirer la charmante chapelle du Fort du Réduit qui est visible du square.

When in Lille, test your vertigo and head up into the sky on this giant Ferris wheel. I promise,…read moreit'll be one of the best 5E you've ever spent. I was lucky enough to swing through Lille just a few days after this seasonal attraction went up. When I realized that I had a few minutes in between meetings and the bright blue crisp winter sky was beckoning for a closer look, I snapped up some tickets for myself and my colleagues to soak up some local flavor. The ride lasts only five minutes so even if you're terrified for your life you won't suffer that long. The ascent is really intense, but the ride is smooth and as you crest the top of the wheel you really feel a surge of super human energy. Breath deep, smile (while not shaking things too much) and enjoy the exceptional 360 degree view. You only live once, this is what it's all about.

From the owner: Grande et fière statue Point de rendez-vous incontournable des lillois, cette statue fut offerte…read morepar le peuple français en souvenir de la résistance de Lille face aux Autrichiens lors du siège de 1792. Surplombant une fontaine aux jets d'eau variés et rieurs, la déesse, sculptée par Bra, a les traits de Madame Bigo-Danel, femme du maire de l'époque.