Lille Entertainment

  1. Café Citoyen

    Progressive-minded volunteers turned a failing bar into a friendly, informal café forum in which social and environmental questions can be discussed. Internet access is free if you order an organic beer or a cup of fair-trade coffee from the friendly fellow wearing little, round, Lenin-style glasses. A sign in the window welcomes English-speakers. Founded, presciently, in September 2005, a month before France's suburbs exploded.

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  2. Café Le Relax

    A genuine, unadulterated café de quartier (neighbourhood café) where locals come for an espresso or a cold Pelforth blonde and to run into friends. A great place to get a feel for this ethnically mixed, working class part of town after checking out the nearby Wazemmes market. French accordion music and chansons are performed live each Sunday from to midnight; a DJ spins reggae disks on Wednesday night.

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  3. Café Oz

    Footy on the wide screen, Australiana on the walls, Fosters on tap - what more could you ask for? This little piece of the Outback is packed when DJs do their thing from to on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. The nearest bus stop is Palais de Justice, served by lines 3, 6 and 9.

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  4. Cinéma Majestic

    Nondubbed films are the speciality of the Majestic, which has six projection spaces.

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  5. Cinéma Metropole

    Nondubbed films are the speciality of the Metropole, an art cinema.

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  7. L'Illustration Café

    This mellow but smoky bar, adorned with Art Nouveau woodwork and works by local painters, attracts artists and intellectuals in the mood to read, exchange weighty ideas - or just shoot the breeze. Very French in the best sense of the word.

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  8. La Scala

    A classic cellar discothèque, with pulsating music and gyrating bodies under ancient brick arches. There are frequent student nights (Wednesday and Thursday) and theme nights (Thursday, Friday and Saturday). Things get going at about .

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  9. Le Balatum

    This funky, dimly lit place, decorated with artwork that changes monthly, is ideal for a tête-à-tête. There's live music at on Sunday and a DJ from on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. Gay friendly.

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  10. Miss Marple

    A friendly and unpretentious lesbian bar that welcomes gays and heteros. The upstairs lounge features upholstered cubes and low wooden tables. There's a DJ on Friday and Saturday nights.

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  11. Network Café

    All the world may not be a stage but this discotheque, Lille's hottest late-late venue, certainly is. For dancing, you can choose between the main room, presided over by two 5m-high statues from faraway lands, and the baroque Venetian room, all crystal chandeliers and velvet settees. Hugely popular with students and the 20-to-35 crowd. Rock sets the tone on Thursday, salsa dominates on Sunday. The door policy is pretty strict.

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  13. Nouveau Siècle concert hall

    The Orchestre National de Lille plays in the circular Nouveau Siècle concert hall .

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  14. Tchouka Club

    This late-late, gay and lesbian dance venue has Lille's clubbering classes chattering. The nearest bus stop is Jeanne d'Arc, on lines 13 and 14B.

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  15. Vice Versa

    The rainbow flag flies proudly at this bar, which is as gay as it is popular (and it's very popular). Well-heeled and sophisticated, it takes eclectic décor - created by the staff and changed four times a year - in bold new directions.

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