Living in France and Calling Lille Home

With the opening of the revamped Eurostar offering fast transport between London and Lille in France, many would be expatriates and retirees are turning their attention to this northern French city.  As interest grows in buying and letting in the north of France, the wonders of Lille are appealing to many and living in France and calling Lille home is becoming a reality for more Brits.

Read on if you are interested in exploring Lille and its many draws.  Whilst the real estate market here isn’t necessarily as cheap as in other French regions, the geographical location of this city and its proximity to the UK and Belgium make it quite alluring.  The new Eurostar connection makes travel between Lille and London take less than 90 minutes, with costs that are quite favourable as well.  This is paving the way for expats to move whilst still enjoying easy, affordable access for necessary business or family related trips back to the UK.

The metropolitan area surrounding Lille is considered France’s fourth largest.  In fact, when the Belgian side is taken into account, the area is home to nearly two million people.  Lille itself has a tad more than 200,000 residents.

This particular metro region is considered quite attractive to expatriates for more than its proximity to the UK thanks to the Eurostar.  The city itself was named as the European Capital of Culture in 2004 and is home to a number of sights and attractions that make living in France specifically in Lille quite appealing.

With a history that dates back to prehistoric times, Lille’s roots run deep.  The actual foundation of the city is dated to 640 AD.  Such people as the Vikings, Celts, Saxons, Normans and even the Germans have inhabited the region.  The age and grandeur of Lille is evident in the city’s many distinct architectural and artistic attractions.  A distinct Flemish style is noted in many of the buildings.

Residents and holidaymakers alike enjoy seeing such destinations as the Palais des Beaux-Arts.  Here visitors are treated to original works of art by such greats as Donatello and Goya.  In fact, the gallery is considered France’s second most important … right after the Louvre, of course.  In addition to its artwork and buildings, the city is noted for its French and Belgian flavours in cuisine, stores and more.

Lille enjoys a continental climate that is described by many as very pleasant.  Whilst it does get cold winters, they are generally never too cold.  The summers are rarely too hot either.  Add to the pleasant weather backdrop the beautiful Deule River and many find Lille picture perfect.  The city is also home to a bustling nightlife, large college community and plenty of cultural activities.

Perhaps one of Lille’s main attractions for would be expats is its easy access to other destinations.  Thanks to rail connections, it is very easy to get from Lille to London, Paris, Amsterdam, Brussels and Cologne for example.  The location of an international airport here doesn’t hurt either.

With faster travel times between London and Lille now available, many Brits are looking more closely at the north of France.  With its charming architecture, historic works of art and bustling lifestyle, Lille is attracting a fair amount interest.  Living in France in Lille can provide the best of both worlds for Brits…