School Christmas Markets Trip to Lille
2 days/1 night
From £85pp
Lille is the perfect place for your French students to experience the authentic and magical atmosphere of a traditional Christmas market.
There are many enchanting Christmas markets taking place throughout France, each offering a unique variety of festive music, tasty treats and lights. The city of Lille hosts one of the most famous, with over 50 stalls selling traditional and regional crafts, cuisine and gifts.
2 days/1 night 
Tailor-make your trip| Morning | Afternoon | Evening | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 |
Pick-up from school Ferry crossing |
Arrive in Lille in early afternoon Time for group to buy lunch and explore the Christmas markets |
Check in to accommodation Possibility for group to walk around the markets or go bowling |
| Day 2 | After breakfast, guided tour of the historic heart of Lille, followed by some more time to explore the Christmas markets |
Group to visit a waffle factory Depart and head back to Calais |
Ferry crossing Arrive back at school |
This price includes:
- 1 night's half-board accommodation
- Return coach travel
- Return ferry or Eurotunnel crossings
- Free staff place ratio 1:8
- Detailed information pack
- Comprehensive travel & medical insurance
- Itinerary planning service
- Motorway tolls and taxes
- VAT
Not the right trip for you?
Tailor-make your own tour using our enquiry tool:
Or contact our Christmas Markets specialist:
Call 0115 9404 303
Email xmasmarket@halsbury.com
La Gaufre du Pays Flamand
An old fashioned waffle-maker where each visitor leaves with a packet of brown sugar- or violet-waffles. Visit lasts 45 minutes and includes demonstration of waffle making and tasting. An ideal visit for those with a sweet tooth! Located just over 10 miles North West of Lille in the village of Houplines, an ideal stop-off on your visit to the Lille Christmas Markets.
Guided Tour of Lille
From Grand'Place to the Palais Rihour, discover the architectural heritage of Europe's Capital of Culture 2004 with guides from Lille Tourist Office. Here are a few suggestions: Old Lille, Euralille, the Fine Arts Museum, Charles de Gaulle's Birthplace and Museum, the Citadel, Panoramic bus tours, the Juniper Route, Wednesdays at the Opera, Regional museums - Museum of Art and Industry in Roubaix,...
Euralille
Lille may be Capital of Culture, but it's long been a capital of shopping. Indulge in some retail therapy at one of the largest shopping centres in Northern France.
Lille Christmas Market
Lille is the perfect destination to bring your French students to experience the authentic and magical atmosphere of a traditional Christmas market. The city of Lille hosts one of the most famous Christmas markets with over 50 stalls selling traditional and regional crafts, cuisine and gifts. Don’t miss the Big Wheel!
Charles de Gaulle's Birthplace and Museum
Charles de Gaulle was born in Lille on November 22nd 1890, in the house of his maternal grandparents at 9 Rue Princesse. He was baptised on the same day in the nearby Saint-André church.Listed as an Historic Monument, the house was bought in 1967 by a group of friends of the General. Now a museum, it recreates the atmosphere of a typical late 19th century home of the Northern French industr...
The Resistance Museum
The Resistance Museum is located in an ancient fortified castle, built between 1878 and 1882, that was part of the fortification designed to protect Lille against a potential German attack.Paradoxically, the fortified castle of Bondue served the German troops during both the First and the Second World War. Between March 1943 and May 1944, 68 French resistants were shot there. The purpose of this m...
Shopping in Lille
Lille offers enough shops to satisfy every budget and every desire and is a great place to get your students trying out their French skills. With its narrow, cobblestone streets lined with lovely Flemish houses, Old Lille is the ideal place to find great names in luxury goods, fashion and design. There are plenty of antique shops and art galleries and a pleasant market on the Place du Concert ever...
Ibis Budget Hotel Lille
A buffet breakfast is offered in the hotel with evening meals in a nearby restaurant. View on map
Misterbed Belle Etoile, Lille
Students will generally be accommodated in twin rooms – all are en suite and include a television. Please not that supplements will apply if staff want single rooms.
A buffet-style breakfast will be served in the hotel. Evening meals are taken in the restaurant next door.
Although wifi is not available, there are internet modems in the bedrooms for wired connection to the web. View on map
What our teachers had to say about this destination
We would like to book the Lille trip again next year! Everyone had a great time. Many thanks.
Excellent day trip. Waffle factory very good.
Really good day out, Lille has lots of shops and the kids enjoyed it.
Lille was a great city to take Year 8 students on their first overnight trip abroad and away from parents. It was big enough that there was enough for us to do, and not too big that the students could get lost. Really enjoyed the Christmas market. Overall, a great trip and Halsbury was extremely helpful.
Our students really enjoyed the trip to the Lille Xmas markets. The market was a very safe environment for students to browse the stalls and practise their French bargaining skills.
Lille was lovely. The students enjoyed the Christmas market and walking around the old town.
Very smooth run - happy students and parents!
Lille as a destination is lovely and the students thoroughly enjoyed their time there. The overall amount of time for visiting Lille was perfect.
The coach company that you supplied for us was outstanding. The destination itself is excellent for secondary school students. Thank you so much for your help with this trip. We will definitely use you again for our trips in Europe.
Lille Christmas Market is wonderful and the surrounding streets are safe for pupils to roam as they are pedestrianized.
Staff accompanying us on the trip were friendly, helpful and very willing to be flexible. The staff engaged with us and helped us make the trip extremely rewarding for pupils.
The waffle bakery was fantastic! The baker explained in French and English and dealt with our students exceptionally well. Definitely worth a visit. Thanks again for all your help in organising the trip. I will definitely recommend Halsbury to other teachers.
Children loved the market and being able to buy gifts for their families. They also loved trying French food and experiencing the culture! For some students this was their first visit abroad and for many, it was their first trip to France!
The Group Leader pack was the the most comprehensive I have ever had. Excellent.The Halsbury team are very approachable, friendly and helpful. Halsbury will work closely with you to plan everything you require and fully understand the needs of individual groups. I am very impressed.
A great school trip. Lille is so pretty. We have now done this for the last 6 years. It puts you in the Christmas spirit. Students always love it.
“We would like to book the Lille trip again next year! Everyone had a great time. Many thanks.”