Vieux-Lille is the historic core north of the Grand'Place: a compact grid of 17th- and 18th-century Flemish townhouses in terracotta brick with stepped gables, small courtyards, and cobbled streets lined with the best independent shops and restaurants in the city. It looks, at first glance, more like Bruges or Ghent than anywhere in France — the architecture reflects Lille's Flemish and Spanish Netherlands history far more than its subsequent three and a half centuries as a French city.
The streets to focus on are Rue de la Monnaie (for the Hospice Comtesse and the best boutiques), Rue Esquermoise (restaurants), Rue Basse (Saturday antique market), and the area around Place du Lion d'Or. The neighbourhood rewards aimless wandering: duck down any side alley and you will find a courtyard, a tile-maker's shop, or a fromagerie operating from what appears to be someone's front room. The evening restaurant scene is among the best in northern France.