The Porte de Paris and the Belfroi de Lille, close to the city centre
"Extreme day trips" — travelling to, visiting, and returning from a foreign destination in a single day — are something of a social media trend right now (though day trips are nothing new). While it's a convenient way to see a new place without the expense of overnight accommodation or eating into your annual leave, the environmental impacts of flying for such a short trip have been criticised. But you don't need to set foot on a plane to do a day trip abroad, nor do you need to have a gigantic budget.
How to visit Lille from London in a day
Make an early start on the Eurostar
I visited Lille in a single day on the Eurostar direct from St Pancras, leaving London early in the morning, and arriving back here in the evening. Accounting for the time difference, I had a total of nine hours in Lille (eight hours of time to roam, once you factor in arriving back at the station in enough time to catch the train home).
