Shopping, leisure spots, parks and walkways, fleamarkets and food markets: Lille proposes a rare quality of life for its inhabitants. The economic past of the city has left many traces of the industrial landscape, but there are also more than 130 hectares of parks and gardens.

Yet it is above all the pervading sense of vibrancy and the friendly atmosphere which visitors to Lille remember.

From the main commercial streets to the peculiar little boutiques of the Vieux Lille, from arts and crafts  shops to the biggest names in luxury and home decoration, Lille offers a vast choice for lovers of shopping. Those who prefer to simply walk and wander around the city will be delighted by the number of tiny streets and squares, plus many gardens - including the impressive Bois de Boulogne park and zoo.