Lille City Town Guide Situated at the centre of the triangle that links Paris, London and Brussels, Lille is a celebration of the harmonious marriage of French and Flemish cultures. The atmosphere in Lille is young and lively, something you will feel as you wander its welcoming streets with their brick façades. Lille is the birthplace of General de Gaulle, and, while it enthusiastically embraces the arrival of the 21st century, the city has retained all the swagger typical of a Flemish painting, under opalescent skies worthy of Bruegel. Five ideas for discovering another side to the city -  Go window shopping among the brilliantly restored streets of old Lille. You'll find antique dealers, art galleries and dealers in rare objects, all trading from highly attractive premises. -  Admire Goya's Les Vieilles and Les Jeunes at the recently refurbished and enlarged Musée des Beaux-Arts, France's finest museum of art after the Louvre in Paris. -  Take a trip to the factory shops at Roubaix, only 15 minutes from Lille. These enormous outlets offer brand-name clothing at extremely attractive prices! -  Visit the Comtesse hospice, with its wards, kitchens and museum - a great way to travel back in time to the Flanders of the past. -  Pay a visit to the windmill centre at Villeneuve Ascq: the centre's two large windmills bring alive the lifestyle of the Low Country's millers of yesteryear (accessible by metro). Time difference In France, summer time is set at GMT + two hours, and runs from the last Sunday in March until the last Sunday in October. To call Lille Dial the international code followed by 33 for France, then 3 for Lille and the 8 digits of the person you are calling. Climate Average temperatures by season: - Spring: 15° C - Summer: 22° C - Autumn: 14° C - Winter: 5° C Holidays These holidays are celebrated throughout France: - 1 January: New Year - Easter Monday (date varies) - 1 May: Labour Day - 8 May: 1945 Victory Day - Ascension (date varies) - Pentecost Monday (date varies) - 14 July: National Day - 15 August: Assumption - 1 November: All Saints Day* - 11 November: Armistice Day - 25 December: Christmas Getting around Strolling through Lille is a must. The Val (fully automated urban metro) and the tramway will take you to the twin cities of Roubaix, Tourcoing and Villeneuve d'Ascq. A day pass that costs less than FF 30 enables you to use the entire public transportation network. Lille Tourism Office Lille Tourism Office: Palais Rihour 42, place Rihour 59002 Lille cedex, France Tel: (international n° +33) 3 20 21 94 21 Lille on the Web http://www.lille.cci.fr See our Cultural calendar Back