Nord-Pas-de-Calais

Travel Guide

Arras showing heritage elements, night scenes and street scenes
Arras featuring heritage elements and street scenes as well as an individual femail
Place des Heros featuring night scenes, outdoor eating and street scenes
Notre Dame Cathedral featuring art, religious aspects and interior views
Arras War Cemetery featuring a cemetery
Far from its sad, grey reputation, the Nord-Pas-de-Calais is alive with colour and celebrations where culture and gastronomy come together amidst glorious landscapes.

If you’ve never visited Nord-Pas-de-Calais, you’ll be surprised at the welcome and hospitality you’ll receive here you’ll meet people who are proud of their culture and heritage, who will invite you to taste local specialities and discover the most beautiful parts of the region. On the menu? Museums, beer, cheese, concerts, beaches and history.

To begin exploring the region, start in its main city, Lille, where you can visit the Palais des Beaux-arts fine arts museum, the Natural History Museum and the famous LaM museum of modern art. Don’t forget that in September the famous Lille flea market takes place, attracting millions of visitors. But the surrounding cities are every bit as good as Lille in terms of culture. There’s La Piscine museum of art and industry in Tourcoing, the Louvre-Lens Museum and the famous Rodin sculpture, Les Bourgeois de Calais, in the city of the same name. If you are not a lover of art, why not head to the Nausicaa national sealife centre in Boulogne-sur-Mer instead, or to the Fontinettes Boat Lift, an impressive structure located in the east of the Caps et Marais d’Opale regional nature park?

Caps et Marais d’Opale is also an ideal place to discover the region’s wooded landscapes, such as the Scarpe-Escaut regional nature park and the Avesnois regional nature park. For a completely different view, set off to discover the Opal Coast and its chalk cliffs, particularly around Cap Blanc-Nez and Cap Gris-Nez. For an equally charming but perhaps slightly less salty and bracing walk, head to the Deûle canal, which crosses a large part of the region. To enjoy a beautiful view over French Flanders and to learn about the region’s mining history, head up the Mont des Cats hill, trying some of the excellent cheese and beer along the way!

To get to Nord-Pas-de-Calais, fly into Lille. You can also get to Lille on the Eurostar from St Pancras. Local TER trains run throughout the region from Lille, or you can get the high-speed TGV between the larger cities. A holiday in Nord-Pas-de-Calais is easily accessible, and this fascinating region can be discovered using public transport.

Alternatively, you can also get round with a rental car.

Where to stay in Nord-Pas-de-Calais

Lille Centre Ville showing street scenes, a sunset and a city

Lille Centre Ville

Art galleries, museums, and historic sites highlight some notable features of Lille Centre Ville. Make a stop by Porte de Paris or Le Palais des Beaux Arts de Lille while you're visiting, and jump aboard the metro at Mairie de Lille Station or Rihour Station to get around town.

Lille Centre Ville
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Résidence

While Résidence might not have many sights to explore, venturing just a little farther will lead you to top things to see and do like Auchan Villeneuve d'Ascq V2 and Lille Metropole Stadium.

Résidence
Old Lille which includes heritage architecture, street scenes and a city

Old Lille

Shopping, historic sites, and restaurants are just a few things travelers enjoy about Old Lille. Check out Le Musée de la Maison Natale de Charles de Gaulle or Lille Cathedral while you're exploring the area.

Old Lille
Historic Center showing a city

Historic Center

Travelers choose Historic Center for its abundant dining options. Hop aboard the metro at Rihour Station or Republique Beaux Arts Station and check out top sights like Rihour Square.

Historic Center
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Le Marais

While there might not be top attractions in Le Marais, you can explore the larger area and discover places like Zoo Lille and Citadel of Lille.

Le Marais
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Fives

You might enjoy the restaurants while in Fives. Le Splendid Concert Hall is a notable sight, and you can get around town at Fives Station or Caulier Station to see more of the city.

Fives
Hotel Lille Europe
Hotel Lille Europe
3 out of 5
Avenue Le Corbusier, Allée de Liege, Lille, Nord
The price is P3,413 per night from 20 Apr to 21 Apr
P3,413
P3,974 total
includes taxes & fees
Apr 20 - Apr 21
Stay at this 3-star business-friendly hotel in Lille. Enjoy free WiFi, breakfast (surcharge), and parking (surcharge). Our guests praise the helpful staff and ...
8.6/10 Excellent! (991 reviews)
"Great stay! Room was super clean and the proximity to the train stations was exactly what we needed. The only issue we had was actually finding the entrance."

Reviewed on Mar 22, 2025

Hotel Lille Europe
Séjours & Affaires Lille Europe
Séjours & Affaires Lille Europe
2 out of 5
271 Avenue Willy Brandt, Lille
The price is P3,169 per night from 4 Apr to 5 Apr
P3,169
P3,622 total
includes taxes & fees
Apr 4 - Apr 5
Stay at this aparthotel in Lille. Enjoy free WiFi, breakfast (surcharge), and room service. Popular attractions Zenith Arena Concert Hall and Pierre Mauroy Stadium ...
7.2/10 Good! (1,064 reviews)
"Good stay, wish they would properly check and clean up the available dishes. Shouldn’t be too hard to run them through the dishwasher downstairs than to trust people to do a proper job cleaning up"

Reviewed on Mar 13, 2025

Séjours & Affaires Lille Europe
All Suites Appart Hotel Dunkerque
All Suites Appart Hotel Dunkerque
3 out of 5
Quai Freycinet 1, avenue de l'universite, Dunkirk, Hauts-de-France
The price is P3,710 per night from 6 Apr to 7 Apr
P3,710
P4,300 total
includes taxes & fees
Apr 6 - Apr 7
Stay at this 3-star residence in Dunkirk. Enjoy free WiFi, breakfast (surcharge), and a fitness center. Our guests praise the helpful staff in our reviews. Popular ...
8.2/10 Very Good! (1,452 reviews)
Great
"Great stay. Would have been better if we were told before hand that there would be a security deposit to be paid at check in. We were only aware of the £8ish tax fees. Had no communication via email before check in either. Other than that it was lovely."

Reviewed on Mar 18, 2025

All Suites Appart Hotel Dunkerque
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.
Séjours & Affaires Lille Europe
Séjours & Affaires Lille Europe
2 out of 5
271 Avenue Willy Brandt, Lille
Stay at this aparthotel in Lille. Enjoy free WiFi, breakfast (surcharge), and room service. Popular attractions Zenith Arena Concert Hall and Pierre Mauroy Stadium ...
7.2/10 Good! (1,064 reviews)
"Good stay, wish they would properly check and clean up the available dishes. Shouldn’t be too hard to run them through the dishwasher downstairs than to trust people to do a proper job cleaning up"

Reviewed on Mar 13, 2025

Séjours & Affaires Lille Europe
The Originals Residence, Le Wax, Lille Est
The Originals Residence, Le Wax, Lille Est
3 out of 5
161 Av. le Notre, Villeneuve-d'Ascq, Nord
Stay at this 3-star business-friendly aparthotel in Villeneuve-d'Ascq. Enjoy free WiFi, breakfast (surcharge), and a 24-hour front desk. Popular attractions ...
9/10 Wonderful! (99 reviews)
"I highly recommend this hotel for a quiet place to stay, the only slight quibble could do with more kitchen utensils"

Reviewed on Dec 31, 2024

The Originals Residence, Le Wax, Lille Est
All Suites Appart Hotel Dunkerque
All Suites Appart Hotel Dunkerque
3 out of 5
Quai Freycinet 1, avenue de l'universite, Dunkirk, Hauts-de-France
Stay at this 3-star residence in Dunkirk. Enjoy free WiFi, breakfast (surcharge), and a fitness center. Our guests praise the helpful staff in our reviews. Popular ...
8.2/10 Very Good! (1,452 reviews)
Great
"Great stay. Would have been better if we were told before hand that there would be a security deposit to be paid at check in. We were only aware of the £8ish tax fees. Had no communication via email before check in either. Other than that it was lovely."

Reviewed on Mar 18, 2025

All Suites Appart Hotel Dunkerque
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.

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