The best neighbourhoods for students in Lille

Vauban-Esquermes

This is one of Lille student districts, being the union of Vauban and Esquermes. It’s located next to the historic city centre, which can be easily reached on foot or by bicycle.

Vauban-Esquermes is home to several institutions, as one of the campuses of the Catholic University of Lille.

Thanks to its lively atmosphere, in Vauban-Esquermes you’ll find a variety of bars, restaurants, cafes, and some nightclubs. In addition, Vauban-Esquermes has a multitude of green areas where you can enjoy the outdoors, both by taking a walk and playing sports. Among the most notable are the Vauban Garden and the Parc de la Citadelle, which includes the Bois de Boulogne forest surrounding the Citadel of Lille.

As far as cultural sites are concerned, the one that stands out the most is, of course, the Citadel of Lille (Citadelle de Lille) and the surrounding parks and forests, as well as the esplanade of the Champ de Mars (Esplanade du Champ de Mars).

The reality is that from Vauban-Esquermes you can get to almost everywhere on foot or by bicycle. However, it has two metro stations on the M2 line and some bus stations.

Wazemmes

Located south of the centre and east of Vauban-Esquermes, Wazemmes is another of the best student neighbourhoods in Lille. It’s a cosmopolitan, bohemian, and lively neighbourhood with cheaper rental prices than the central area of ​​Lille (despite being very close to the city centre).

There are plenty of affordable restaurants and bars in this neighbourhood, especially in the streets Rue des Postes and Rue León Gambetta. There are no discos, although it’s close to several in neighbouring districts.

For leisure activities, we recommend visiting the Maison Folie Wazemmes cultural centre

and the famous Wazemmes Market (Marché de Wazemmes) with its busy Sunday market.

Wazemmes has a few squares, but it doesn't have many green spaces to go for a walk or exercise. However, the parks of Vauban-Esquermes can be reached in a short time by bike or public transport.

Although most students choose to walk or cycle, this neighbourhood is served by the M1 and M2 metro lines. Most of the bus stops are in the streets surrounding Wazemmes.

Lille-Centre

This is the centre of the city, being a dynamic and lively neighbourhood. It's true that rents here tend to be higher than in surrounding neighbourhoods, but it's ideal for those who want to be in the centre of everything.

Lille-Centre has a wide range of restaurants, including bars, cafes, and restaurants to suit all budgets. It’s also home to several nightclubs. There’s one street that stands out for its nightlife: Rue Masséna. It's the mecca of partying!

There are several cultural sites to visit in Lille-Centre. These include:

• La Grand Place: the city's main square, with cafes and historic buildings.
• La Vieille Bourse: an impressive Renaissance building where book and chess markets are held.
• The Opéra de Lille
• The Palais des Beaux-Arts: one of the most important museums in France outside of Paris, with works by artists such as Rubens, Goya, and Delacroix.

The Henri Matisse park, the Jean-Baptiste Lebas park and the Square Dutilleul park are the most prominent green spaces in this central district.

Lille-Centre is probably the neighbourhood with the best transport connections in the city. It has metro stations, two train stations, trams, and buses. There are also several stations of the V’Lille public bike stations.

Vieux Lille (Lille's old town)

The Old Town is one of the best student neighbourhoods in Lille if you want to be in a quiet area surrounded by history and monuments. It's a picturesque neighbourhood, with cobblestone streets and historic buildings. One thing to keep in mind is that the cost of rent here is usually higher than in the neighbourhoods mentioned above.

Vieux Lille has a lot of bars, pubs, restaurants, and cafes. It’s also home to some nightclubs, and the atmosphere is quite lively despite being a quieter area!

One of the strongest points of this neighbourhood is its cultural offering. Some of the places you have to visit are: the cathedral (Cathédrale Notre-Dame de la Treille), the Museum in the medieval hospital (Musée de l'Hospice Comtesse), and Charles de Gaulle’s House-museum (Maison natale Charles de Gaulle).

Old Lille doesn’t stand out for its green areas, but one to be considered is the Jardin de la Treille, a beautiful space next to the cathedral, and the Plaine de la Poterne. It’s also very close to the Parc de la Citadelle, the green lung of Lille.

Most of the students who live here move around on foot or by bike, although there are also some bus lines available. Although there are no metro stations within Vieux Lille, there are some within a few minutes walk away.

FAQ about neighbourhoods in Lille