Lille is a lovely city! The city centre is, of course the old city and the buildings are detailed and beautiful. There is a big festival beginning next week so the statue in the centre of the square was a hive of activity with workman putting up lights and sound etc.
The Opera House
Off the square, the streets are very narrow with old cobbles still in use. I watched a couple of mothers push their toddlers in pushchairs down the street and the poor little things were getting positively shuddered!
Many of the buildings are apartments in amongst shops. There was a large selection of designer shops for anything and everything! It was pouring with rain and my shoes were sodden but my lilac kathmandu jacket kept the rest of me dry but I certainly didn't fit the image of usual clientale wondering around Hermes, Longchamp, Chanel etc, but I did so enjoy looking! I discovered a very expensive menswear shop called 'Eden Park'! It had old rugby pictures on the walls and rugby paraphenalia in a cabinet. I was busy taking photos and Danielle explained I was from New Zealand, and I almost laughed out loud at his reaction. He was so haughty and poncey, and smiled patronisingly at me as if I probably had no idea about Eden Park or their precious shop!
It was great to see the silver fern!
I spent most of the morning in Printemps, a huge store a bit like David Jones in Aus or Smith and Caughey's, that sells designer clothes etc with nothing cheap in it! It was huge and a great place to wander around in.
We met up with a friend of Danielle's for lunch, then viewed the Autumn collection of a label Danielle likes at their store away from the city centre. Very interesting....... we left for home at 4pm and inched our way to Bavay over the next two hours! I couldn't believe the traffic! The road system is amazing with three levels of motorway ranging from the huge ones with higher speed limits, the next with a limit of 130km and then one which just has two lanes each way with a limit of 90km. Everything has seemed so streamlined and efficient but today it was ghastly. It was still teeming with rain so conditions were very unpleasant. Thank goodness Danielle drove to the conditions. We were in the big late model mercedes they have, and she flies in that usually. I can't say I've ever travelled at 150km an hour before, but I have done with her! It doesn't seem that fast and I just assure myself that the car must have every bell, whistle, airbag and safety measure known to man in it so I should be OK! I don't feel quite so safe travelling at speed in her new mini cooper that she does short trips in, although we've not reached those speeds in it!
Bernard has gone to some place 5 hours away to attend what sounds like our Field Days or something similar. He will be away for a couple of days. Danielle has two meetings tonight so all is quiet at home here till we have tea on her return at 9.30pm.
I'm going back to Lille tomorrow on a school trip to visit a mining museum so I hope this dreadful weather is over by then.
Piano accordian player trying to cheer up shoppers in the rain!
So glad you went to Lille. Sometimes I used to get the train there just for a day trip to explore! They have a great Christmas market there with lovely hot mulled wine!! Certainly a good place to shop! Lucky you! :) x
ReplyDelete