Christmas in Lille

Hello, sorry that I couldn't share anything for a while. I have lots of things to write about but I have had lots of exams, which is why I could not post anything. I am now travelling on the bus and reflecting over my experiences in Lille. So I decided that it is now the time to share some, starting with today.

In this post, I want to tell you how they celebrate Christmas in Lille. I did my Erasmus exchange during winter term so I was always keen to see the places I visited during the summertime too. Yes, life is easier in summer, because you do not need to wear warm and thick clothes and your backpack is lighter too. In winter, you always have problems closing your bag. You put your warm clothes on and you can not close it. What's more, you always need to go inside to warm up and drink something hot. I always complained about doing my Erasmus exchange in winter until I saw the Christmas preparations... It all started 1 month before Christmas. The places I used to see everyday completely changed. There was a huge Ferris wheel and a Christmas tree in the middle of the main market. It was already cold as Lille is located in the north of the country. However, there wasn't any snow yet. They didn't miss out the artificial snow however. I went on the Ferris wheel twice. It was a bit scary but I really enjoyed it. I decided to enjoy the ride at night, too, because there was a totally different ambiance and the whole city was under my feet. If you come to Lille at Christmas, I recommend you to try the Ferris wheel. Plus it is only around 5 euros.

Let's talk about the Christmas market. Think of a market where you can find a huge variety of desserts. French people love desserts which is why you can find some of them even cheaper than in the supermarkets. My favourite one is the waffles and they were only 3. 50 euros. Of course, there was food there other than desserts. France is famous for its cheese, too. So if you like cheese, you can try and buy some at the market. I am talking about the food, because it is what attracts me the most, but you can also find there all kind of jewellery, gifts, Christmas hats, and other stuff. It is really worth a visit. Even though some people do not speak English well, they will try and explain to you in English what they have to offer.

During December, there is the Christmas market and the Ferris Wheel and lots of different events going on in Lille. I was not in Lille for Christmas. This is why I don't know how they celebrate New Year's Eve. However all the preparations that had already began 1 month in advance, made me really happy. If you are going spend your Erasmus in a cold country, you are a lucky person because all I experienced, the Christmas, can be found anywhere, not just in Lille. It will be the same in Paris, Prague, Vienna or Budapest - simply beautiful. If you want to try local food, learn about their customs and enjoy the city, you will find it all in one place during the Christmas season. I strongly recommend that you visit a city in winter and, especially, during Christmas.

Grand Palace Square in Lille with its amazing atmosphere!

At night the lights seem so bright. This picture was taken by my lovely Bulgarian friend Jana and after that we went on a Ferris wheel.

The entrance to the Christmas market is always crowded.

Stalls at the market. As I mentioned before, they also sell jewellery.

Cheese stalls. When I first saw it, it seemed really interesting to me because I was not used to seeing so many different colours and shapes. Of course, I tried most of them because they are very different from our cheese. Normally, we eat cheese for breakfast but the French tend to have it with wine. If you are interested in trying different flavours like me, these cheeses are for you!

Photo gallery