For your wine cheese and food shopping, take a bag on wheels, and stop off at Eurolille on the way back to Lille Europe station.

Find all you need at the vast Carrefour - then top up with bread and pastries at Paul, before nipping out of the side-exit from Eurolille for the short walk to Eurostar.

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My tip is to visit the annual 'Braderie de Lille' - the biggest flea market in Europe, with stalls on over 100kms of pavements.

It is held over the first weekend in September in the centre of Lille. From Antiques to Junk, from Books to Pictures it is all there. The walk from Lille Europe to the market is short, some 500 yards so access is easy.

I discovered it by accident. Leaving the old station (Lille Flandres), after an ovenight trip from Italy, I headed for a café and stumbled across a small part of the market. I was hooked!

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In the middle of the Christmas Market in Lille amongst the wooden huts selling mulled wine and crafts is a harmless looking Ferris wheel - make sure you don't miss having a go for a great birds eye view of the city especially at night and the chance to be scared witless.

The back of each car seemed so low I spent the entire time feeling like I was about to fall out!

Afterwards head for one of the cafes in the same square for a medicinal hot chocolate.

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The swimming pool museum in Roubaix is less than 30 minutes from Lille centre by tram (Roubaix) or metro (Euroteleport).

The marvellous Museum of Arts and Industry relocated to this renovated 1920's swimming pool in 2001.

There is a huge Art deco rising sun window dominating the scene and the paintings, sculptures, textiles and (glorious) ceramics, showing the creativity behind Roubaix's heyday, are imaginitively displayed around the pool, shower cubicles and surronding areas.

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Au Bout des Doigts restaurant in Lille’s old town is an unusual, modern French restaurant with a twist – every delicious morsel is bite-sized and eating with your hands is required.

You can enjoy fantastic, innovative French cooking in a cool modern setting. French cooking is delicious but sometimes it takes itself too seriously; Au Bout des Doigts is the perfect antidote. And since it's located in friendly Lille, it's trendy dining without attitude. Bon appetit!

Tél: +33(0)3 20 74 55 95
5, Rue Saint-Joseph - En face du palais de justice, avenue du Peuple Belge
59000 LILLE

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We had a great meal at the "la cave aux fioles" restaurant. However, we needed to book in advance - it is small and cosy, but popular.

www.lacaveauxfioles.com/

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You can hire Segway electric scooters at Station Oxygene on the Champs du Mars (08 20 42 40 40): great for sightseeing.

www.transpole.fr/e/e_l_oxygene_1.aspx

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Hire a Segway for a trip around the citadelle.

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