Lille was a city that surprised me. I hadn’t heard much that was positive about it – it seemed to exist solely as a train connection. This view was reinforced by my few views of it, from the windows of moving buses. Little did I know there’s a wonderful 17th century grand square in the heart of the city, and some equally wonderful architecture in the surrounding area. These charming brick houses framed a big yard which was popular with lounging locals and tourists on a beautiful, mid-May spring day.
