Lille Day Trip with Lunch

Our French day trip started in style with a coffee and pain au chocolat from Paul's Bakery just in front of the Eurostar departure gates at St Pancras International, before we checked in for our 9am departure. Before we knew it we were speeding through the Kent countryside to the Channel Tunnel.

Just 1h 20min later we pulled into Lille station (before Simon had managed to complete the Telegraph crossword!). A five minute walk later we were tucking our napkins in, ready for a Gallic feast at Le Meunier restaurant.

Simon gorged on steak, and finished with a deliciously fruity peach sorbet, while I chose fish with a rich chocolate cake for desert. We couldn't resist a glass or two of French wine to accompany the meal.

Aware we had some serious shopping ahead of us we said goodbye to our new friends at Le Meunier and wandered along rue Faidherbe into the centre of Lille. I couldn't resist a quick look round the new Galeries Lafayette, and shopping for gifts and gooey French cheeses in the boutiques of the old town. Simon lived in Lille for a year in his student days, so he wanted to show me Lille's local secrets - a trip to the Palais des Beaux Artes (known as France's second museum after the Louvre) revealed some art classics including masterpieces by Renoir and Van Gogh.

Sadly it was all too soon before we had to check-in for our return Eurostar to London, but we had just enough time to stock up at the huge Euralille Shopping Centre on creamy bries, French yoghurts and some delicious French bread and pastries. A perfect day out, although we wished we'd stayed overnight, and had enough time for a trip to La Piscine (just outside Lille at Roubaix). There's always next time!