Christmas markets school trips to Lille

Visit the markets in Place Rihour or Lille's Old Town, where you’ll find 90 or so wooden chalets selling local produce, gifts and crafts. An excellent opportunity for your students to practice their language skills, the markets offer a wide range of festive foods and souvenirs to take back home.

Students will love the magic and charm of Lille’s Old Town, where they can tour quaint restored buildings and art galleries, shop for souvenirs, and order drinks in atmospheric cafés. Your group will also have the opportunity to extend their vocabulary – and even practice their language skills – as they explore the Grand-Place.

With its brilliant selection of exotic animals from the world over, Lille Zoo is the perfect addition to any trip to the city. Wandering through the exhibits takes little more than a couple of hours, and students will love learning about the zoo’s commitment to animal conservation and welfare.

Take in the wonder of the Lillois’ favourite meeting place in the city’s main square, where you can stand amid the city’s grand, 17th-century architecture. In its centre, students will be able to spot the Column of the Goddess – the locals’ name for the Memorial of the Siege, which commemorates Lille’s resistance to Austrian forces in 1792. Don’t miss the Old Stock Exchange, Lille’s finest building, where students can browse a second-hand book market and spot chess players inside.

A magnificent structure and excellent example of Gothic Revival architecture, Lille Cathedral is considered a national monument in France – and it’s easy to see why. Located at the northern end of the city, the cathedral is conveniently placed just a short walking distance from the Garden of Giants and Hospice Comtesse Museum – two more excursions we know your group will love.

Tucked away amidst Lille’s dense urban environment, the Garden of Giants offers a relaxing refuge for school groups wanting a slower afternoon activity than the city’s hustle and bustle. With 45,000 types of plants divided over three different areas, the gardens offer boundless inspiration to budding botanists, while the garden’s sculpted landscapes are an excellent stimulus for apprentice architects.

Located in the heart of Old Lille, the Hospice Comtesse Museum is housed in a former hospital which operated for more than 700 years from 1236 until 1939. Now a setting for the region’s craftmanship, the museum gives your students the chance to view paintings, tapestries, ceramics and furniture while wandering the building’s old wards, chapel and other buildings.

Starting in an aroma-filled confectionery shop, students are guided into the nougat workshop to watch the delicacy being cooked in copper pots, before being mixed with roasted nuts and shaped on marble tables. Tastings included.

Please note: Visits are not always available in English. This excursion is not suitable for those with nut allergies.

Learn all about the regional speciality of Flemish waffles, one of the oldest 'biscuits' in the world, on this excursion. Watch the 'gaufres flamandes' being made, before engaging in the best part of this tour, tasting!

Please note: Visits are usually only available in French.

Located just across the border in Belgium – the home of chocolate – this factory visit is a real treat for student groups! Pupils will watch a demonstration before trying their hand at chocolate making and tasting. If you're interested in adding a chocolate making workshop, please speak to your Account Manager.