Your Local Guide to the Rugby World Cup in Lille: Enjoy England vs. Samoa Game
With the Rugby World Cup now in full swing, England fans are busy planning their trips to Lille to watch England play Samoa on Saturday, October 7. With many being new to the city, here at Calais Vins we thought we’d ask our resident Englishman, Andy, who is based in Lille, to offer a few insider tips and ideas to help fans enjoy the capital of Flanders and it’s many attractions.
An Insider Interview with Andy, Your Lille Resident Expert
What to Expect at the Samoa Game
Calais Vins: So, Andy, if fans are coming to the Samoa game, what can they expect?
Andy: Oh! I have no doubt they’ll have a great time. The atmosphere at the Chile game on Saturday was fantastic; almost as good as when I saw the French football team there! The rendition of the National Anthem was spine-tingling. And the Chilean fans screamed their team on to the last whistle. And then partied with the English!
Practical Tips for Stadium Visitors
Calais Vins: Any practical tips for visitors to the stadium?
Andy: First observation, obviously most people travelled to the game on the Metro (4 Cantons station). The journey out was fine, but the return took a long time. If you can find other ways to get to the stadium it might help to reduce the load on the system. If not, remember there are actually four stations that serve the stadium. As well as 4 Cantons, you could consider getting on or off at Cité Scientifique Pr Gabillard, Triolo, and Villeneuve D'Ascq (hôtel de ville). All a very similar walking distance from the stadium Pierre Mauroy as 4 Cantons, but probably not signposted.
Around the stadium Pierre Mauroy there’s lots of atmosphere and drinks €10/50cl. And food stalls. Same inside the stadium. There are photo opportunities and after the game there was a DJ set and screens showing the South Africa game. Quite a few fans stayed to party the night away! Just don’t miss the last Metro!
Exploring Lille: Bars, Nightlife, and Dining
Calais Vins: What about Lille itself, I’m guessing most people will be making a weekend of it?
Andy: Lille is a very ‘young’ city – lots of colleges and universities – so lots of bars and nightlife.
Truthfully, there are bars everywhere. And most will be showing the rugby. My favourite, because it feels like the authentic French brasserie it is, is Paon d’Or on place de Béthune. For fans I’d recommend a few areas. There are lots of bars located around rue Solférino, rue Masséna and rue Royale in the old town (Le Vieux Lille; a great area just to wander around). The area around Place Rihour, off Grand Place is also good for bars. Here there is also a very fine restaurant, Brasserie La Chicorée, where you can get all the usual suspects, plus fantastic seafood platters, like you find on the Opale coast. Also, plenty around Gare Lille-Flandres and in the main squares. L’Imaginaire in the old town has a very large outdoor area. Also bars around the cathedral, Place Gilleson. If ‘posh’ is your thing, the bar at Mama Shelter (almost opposite Gare Lille-Flandres) and the next-door Nu restaurant/bar are your best bets. Most bars open very late and have a vast selection of beers! Beer is a really big deal in Flanders. Quality is extremely high and the choice immense! One warning Flemish beer is very, very strong to an English palate! The bar scene is fairly competitive, so there are lots of happy hours… expect to pay 5-7€ for a 50cl of very strong, famous beer. My favourite is La Chouffe. On sale at Calais Vins I'm guessing, amongst your large choice of beers.
Watching the Scotland Match and the Fan Zone
Calais Vins: Where would you recommend people watch the next game afterwards?
Andy: I think it’s safe to say every bar will be showing it, so all the areas I previously mentioned are a safe bet. There are actually a few UK ‘pub’ type bars along rue Solféreno: The Queen Victoria (yes, really!), L’Irlandais and O’Scotland. Plus, an Irish pub on rue Masséna, Temple’s Bar.
Calais Vins: What about the fan zone?
Andy: There are fan areas set-up in the two central adjoining squares – Grand Place and Place du Théâtre. Many fans reported a great atmosphere here before and after the game. It’s a good place for groups to meet up. Throw a rugby ball at a dartboard (!) and seek out information from the helpful staff. They have screens too.
Recommendations for Food, Shopping, and Practical Items
Calais Vins: OK, Andy, enough about beer, what can you recommend for refuelling in Lille?
Andy: Lille is blessed with a great food scene. The traditional eating establishments are called Estaminets; Estaminet Au Vieux De La Vieille is a favourite (but book). There’s quite a few. Local dishes include mussels and chips, Le Welsh, a ‘heart-attack’ (!) of cheese, beer, ham and bread, Carbonade Flamande, a rich beef stew with chips. Many of the bars do meat/cheese platters (planche) which are often huge (with bread of course) for about €15; perfect for two sharing. The best patisserie/cake place is the world-famous Meert in the old town. Plenty of other restaurants, lots of more ethnic ones in the Wazemmes district. A friend owns a very fine Indian establishment – L’été indien. All the usual fast-food suspects are present. Chips are a big deal here! You’ll find the various Friterie Meuniers (one in Grand Place) are utterly reliable for huge portion of frites and accompaniments! If your group all want to eat different things (!) then there are two food halls: Kitchen Market Lille (rue des Tanneurs) and Grand Scène (rue de Béthune). Breakfast, apart from the ubiquitous croissant, is not such a thing. The only place I’ve found for a decent brunch-type fuel up is the Australian Paddo Café, by the cathedral on rue du Cirque. Excellent food and service. Soho Urban Food (rue Léon Trulin) is highly rated for a big buffet-type meal; I’ve not been. I find the Indian restaurants in France fairly bland by English standards, with the exception of my mate Harsh’s L’ete indien of course!
There’s an English tearoom in the old town, Elizabeth’s on rue Basse. Good in my experience; quite small. But, as mentioned previously, for the full-on tearoom/cake experience Meert is stunning!
Calais Vins: Any tips for shopaholics?
Andy: Oooof! Well, the old town has many posh shops – Louis Vuitton, etc – and there’s a very good Printemps department store. There’s a medium-sized Westfield shopping centre, by Gare Lille-Flandres. I don’t think anything in France is particularly cheaper sadly. If you fancy taking home a fine bit of French knitwear (in particular), St James in the old town (Rue Esquermoise) is your destination! For cheese, Fromagerie Philippe Olivier (Rue du Cure Saint-Etienne) is part of a small chain. And very, very good! (Incidentally, there’s also one next door to Calais Vins, if you’re stopping for Duty Free; and also a very good boulangerie patisserie Pain & Levain to sort out your on-board sandwiches; much better and cheaper than the ferry!). There are loads of fine food shops (epiceries) dotted around the old town. For books and stuff: Furet du Nord, Place General de Gaulle (who incidentally was born in Lille, but the birthplace museum is not great!). One word of caution, lots of place in France close on Sundays (and often for lunch). For example, many of the shops in old Lille don’t open on Sundays.
Spare Time Activities in and Around Lille
Calais Vins: If fans have some spare time, are there things you’d particularly recommend?
Andy: If fans need a culture fix the Palais des Beaux Arts is world class. As is La Piscine in Roubaix. If they have the time and transport, the Louvre-Lens (in Lens, an old mining town, south of Lille) is amazing. Really. Villa Cavrois, halfway between Lille and Roubaix, is an Art Deco masterpiece, designed by a British architect. You’re obviously very close to lots of The Western Front. Ypres is a good starting point. Too many sites to mention, many of them very moving. There’s quite a large CWGC cemetery in the Lille Sud cemetery. If you stand looking at the Le Moulin d’Or bar on Place Theatre, you can see cannonballs embedded in the walls, from some long-ago siege. Close by, the old stock exchange (La Vieille Bourse) now houses a well-known second-hand book market.
If you want to do a nice walk to clear your heads (!) the area around the Citadel (an old Vauban-built military base still used by the French authorities) is your place! There are lots of bars and restaurants dotted along the various waterways. Also, a small zoo.
Important Practical Information for Visitors
Calais Vins: Any practical information you feel people should know about?
Andy: The metro system is cheap and reliable, and there are many bus routes, however Lille’s not huge so most of it is walkable. Might be worth getting your Metro tickets in advance, or a pass. All stations have machines. Queues can be horrendous at peak times. If fans are driving here, it’s generally simple (though remember to drive on the other side of the road [Boom! Boom!]). However, be aware that the major roads that approach and go through the city often have variable and/or constantly changing speed limits. So, you can quickly go from 130kph to 110 kph to 90 kph to 70 kph. And there are lots of cameras which are quite hard to spot (Waze is pretty good). Lille is generally safe. There’s quite a strong police presence compared to UK cities. Just remember to be a bit careful at night around the station area in particular.
A Final Note: Calais Vins and Olivier Vins for Duty-Free Shopping
Calais Vins: That’s great, Andy! Anything else?
Andy: Well, as I’m talking to Calais Vins! The obvious closing observation is to remember to call in at Calais Vins if you’re using the ferries, or Olivier Vins if you’re travelling by Eurotunnel, both shops open on Sundays. If you’re heading back to the UK by car, remember Duty-Free limits are back in operation. As you know (!), Calais Vins offers a huge choice of wines, beers and spirits. And your lovely staff sort out all the Duty-Free refund paperwork.
Calais Vins: Thanks Andy.
Andy: No problems. I’m certain all the England fans travelling to Lille are going to have a great time. Come on Ennggerlaand!!
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