Lillers lies between the hills of Artois and the Lys Valley. The town brings together several themes for a trip: Romanesque religious architecture, historic houses, the history of shoemaking, a weekly market, as well as green spaces and walking trails. To plan your stay, you can first decide whether architectural history, local economic life or time outdoors will shape your visit.
Romanesque Church and Historic Buildings
The Collégiale Saint-Omer was built in the first half of the 12th century and is the largest Romanesque religious building in the whole of northern France. Alongside the significance of the building itself, there is a specific detail: inside the church is a 12th-century Christ known as “du Saint Sang Miracle,” visible in the right bay of the ambulatory. The building as a whole and the location of this artwork thus offer two distinct aspects of the same place.
The Chapelle Notre-Dame-de-la-Miséricorde offers a different perspective: a small 18th-century building in the French style. A stained-glass window by craftsman Delannoy depicts bombs falling on Lillers, as well as recognizable local buildings. The window thus combines a specific visual motif with depictions of local architecture.
The Maison de l’Argentier can also be identified by its individual features: it was built in 1631, and its stepped gable is particularly noteworthy. Four round cartouches each contain two wild roses and a number. The historic examples can be arranged chronologically: the 12th-century collegiate church is followed by the house from 1631 and the 18th-century chapel.
Weekly Market and the History of Shoemaking
The weekly market takes place every Saturday from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Place Roger Salengro in the town centre and offers fresh produce. If you would like to include the market in your plans, set aside Saturday morning and check the date before travelling. This gives you a specific time frame that can help when choosing your travel dates.
The Maison de la Chaussure offers a different focus: it covers the history of shoemaking in Lillers and the thriving shoe industry of the 19th and early 20th centuries. The market and the history of shoemaking therefore appeal to different interests: a regularly held event on the one hand, and a look at the history of the local economy and craft trades on the other.
Green Spaces and Getting There
Lillers’s tourist and architectural attractions include green spaces and walking trails. So, in addition to historic buildings, time outdoors is another possible theme for your trip. When planning, you can consider this side of the town alongside its churches, older houses and history, without limiting your stay to a single interest.
Transport infrastructure includes a railway station, motorway access and a carpooling area. These facilities suit different ways of travelling; which one works for you depends on your own route. Check current transport options before setting your travel dates and choosing accommodation. If the weekly market is part of your plans, also schedule your stay to include Saturday. When looking for a hotel in Lillers, you can treat your travel arrangements and the things that interest you locally as separate decisions.
Discover more destinations: Le Sars, Wailly-Beaucamp, Coupelle-Vieille, Licques, Fruges, Sainte-Catherine, Bailleul-Sir-Berthoult, Éperlecques.
See the regional travel overview: Pas-De-Calais.
