The
central
Grande-Place
is just
a few
minutes'
walk
from the
gare
SNCF
(originally
Paris's
Gare du
Nord,
but
brought
here
brick by
brick in
1865).
Despite
being
the
fifth-largest
city in
France,
the
centre
of Lille
is small
enough
to walk
round
and,
unless
you
choose
to visit
Villeneuve-d'Ascq
on the
outskirts,
you
won't
even
need to
use the
city's
efficient
métro
system.
The
tourist
office
is in
place
Rihour (Mon-Sat
9.30am-6.30pm,
Sun &
public
hols
10am-noon
& 2-5pm;
tel
03.20.21.94.21,
fax
03.20.21.94.20),
ten
minutes'
walk
from the
station
along
rue
Faidherbe
and
through
place du
Théâtre
and
place du
Général-de-Gaulle.
