[These are very thorough walking directions – you shouldn’t be getting lost in Lille when following this guide].

However, I definitely recommend that you follow the Google Streetview route of the entire Lille DIY Walking Tour first, from the comfort of your own home before you head to Lille, as this will allow you to better visualise the entire route before you arrive.

START: Lille-Flandres Railway Station [MAP]:

With the main entrance to Lille-Flandres Railway Station at your back, walk STRAIGHT AHEAD until you reach the Pedestrian Crossing outside of the station (there are actually two crossings here, so make sure to take the one on the LEFT).

Pedestrian Crossing [MAP]:

After crossing here, continue STRAIGHT AHEAD, along the lefthand pavement of Rue Faidherbe;

Rue Faidherbe [MAP]:

Continue along Rue Faidherbe, crossing Rue des Ponts de Comines on your left along the way, and turn LEFT, into Rue des Manneliers ( you will see the magnificent Opéra de Lille building on the opposite side of the square, and the side of La Vieille Bourse, on your right,  as you pass here).

Continue until the Grand Place opens up on your right;

Grand Place [MAP]:

You will be crossing the Grand Place diagonally (from south-east to north-west), via the Colonne de la Déesse in the centre of the square.

Leave the Grand Place by the north-west corner, onto Rue Nationale;

Rue Nationale [MAP]:

You will be following Rue Nationale for a good few blocks, and it makes no difference to the route which side of the road you decide to walk along. Personally, I prefer to head down the right hand side (the sunny side of the street), but if it is really sunny/hot when you are walking, then walking along the left hand side will give you more shade from the sun.

Continue until you see the entrance to tree-filled Square Foch on your right. Turn RIGHT here;

Square Foch [MAP]:

There are plenty of benches to sit on in Square Foch. And although both Square Foch and the following Square Dutilleul are pedestrian squares, they are separated by a small road (Rue de Tenremonde).

There is a small crossing on Rue de Tenremonde – which will take you into Square Dutilleul;

Square Dutilleul [MAP]:

Square Dutilleul is almost a carbon copy of Square Foch (it also has plenty of benches to sit on).

Leave Square Dutilleul at the northern end, where you will see Quai du Wault immediately ahead of you;

Quai du Wault [MAP]:

Pass the Bassin du Wault on the left-hand side (the water will be on your right – there are cobbles here, but not too severe, if they are for you, then the cobbles on the building side are a wee bit less “rumble-y”), until you come to the main road at Square Daubenton, where you will immediately see a Pedestrian Crossing on your right;

At the end of the crossing, continue STRAIGHT AHEAD (and then LEFT) along the walkway by the canal, eventually crossing the canal on your right at the Pont de la Citadelle

BEFORE crossing the bridge though, cross the road first (as there are lowered kerbs here), so that you cross the bridge on the LEFTHAND pavement;

Pont de la Citadelle [MAP]:

Continue over the bridge, and you will see the Monument aux pigeons voyageurs ahead of you/to the left;

Monument aux pigeons voyageurs [MAP]:

BEHIND the monument, follow the path on the LEFT (Allée Arlette Gruss), NOT the path by the canal, but the first path beside it, and follow this path until you see the entrance of the Zoo de Lille;

Zoo de Lille [MAP]:

Just before you come to the entrance to the Zoo de Lille, take the path that turns RIGHT, and continue until the path splits separates. Turn LEFT, and walk for a few steps until you reach the Voie des Combattants (the star-shaped path that surrounds the Citadelle de Lille).

You can follow the circular (star-shaped) path in either direction, returning to this same spot (wheelchair users should be careful if it has been raining in the previous few days though – although the path is normally accessible to all with ease, it does get rather muddy in places when wet).

Once you have returned to your starting point, the return journey follows exactly the same route (although you may wish to walk back via the Palais des Beaux Arts de Lille).

Your DIY Walking Tour of central Lille now ends.