School trips to Lille are great for groups studying French, including primary school groups, and are also ideal if you’re looking to arrange a festive treat for your students!

Lille is within easy reach of the UK, making it one of the best destinations for a short school trip to France, and a great option for a day trip. On the border with Belgium, Lille offers the exciting opportunity to experience French culture with a strong Flemish influence.

Whatever your reason for visiting, we’ll tailor-make your school trip to Lille to ensure that it suits your curriculum and specific learning objectives.

Read more  about our school trips to Lille

Why visit Lille?

Experience a traditional Christmas

Most of our groups choose to visit Lille at Christmas when the city is at its most vibrant and exciting, and the festive Christmas markets take over the city centre.

There are, of course, many enchanting Christmas markets that take place around France during December. But the charming city of Lille is the perfect place to experience the authentic and magical atmosphere of a traditional French Christmas market. And Lille’s Christmas market is certainly a favourite among our school groups.

Indeed, Lille’s Christmas market is one of the most famous in France with over 50 stalls selling traditional and regional crafts, cuisine and gifts, making it a popular option for Christmas markets school trips to France.

Your students will love the opportunity to practise speaking French with the local stallholders, as they buy presents for their family and tasty treats for themselves!

Experiences like this can give their confidence a real boost, while also encouraging an enthusiasm for foreign languages and different cultures.

Get your younger students talking!

Lille is also the perfect choice for a French primary school trip, not least because of the short journey times. It’s also easily navigable and less hectic than somewhere like Paris, which is ideal for younger groups and still offers a wonderful introduction to all things French.

On your school trip to Lille, your students will have the opportunity to hear French spoken all around them. You’ll have lots of opportunities to reinforce vocabulary with them and this exciting opportunity could be what inspires the linguists of the future!

The birthplace of Charles de Gaulle

When you’re not exploring the Christmas markets, there’s plenty of history to enjoy on a school trip to Lille!

This is the birthplace of Charles de Gaulle and the house he was born in is now a museum dedicated to the former president.

And there’s also a fantastic museum dedicated to the French Resistance – if any of your students are studying WW2 these are visits not to be missed.

Case Studies

From £149 pp

2 days, 1 night

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Activities for Lille

Euralille

Euralille

Lille may be Capital of Culture, but it's long been a capital of shopping! Indulge in some retail therapy at… Read More

Guided Tour of Lille

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… Read More

La Gaufre du Pays Flamand

La Gaufre du Pays Flamand

An old fashioned waffle-maker where each visitor leaves with a packet of brown sugar or violet waffles. The visit also… Read More

Lille Christmas Market

Lille Christmas Market

Lille is the perfect place to experience the authentic and magical atmosphere of a traditional Christmas market. The city hosts… Read More

P&J Calais

P&J Calais

Before you return home, make sure you stop at P&J Calais, to stock up on handmade Belgian chocolates!Chocolate workshops and… Read More

Shopping in Lille

Shopping in Lille

From its rich merchant past Lille has retained a real commercial tradition. Here, shopping is a reflection of the northern… Read More

Lille Zoo

Lille Zoo

The Citadelle Park, Lille's largest and most visited, park brings a breath of fresh air to the city. Encircled by… Read More

Why choose Halsbury?

Here are just a few reasons why teachers choose Halsbury for educational school trips that inspire.

School trips designed by teachers for teachers

Originally founded by teachers in 1986, we understand the pressures on you as Group Leader and are here to make the process of running your school trip as easy as possible.

Learn more about Halsbury Travel

School trips tailored to your curriculum

We'll design your trip around your specific learning objectives and curriculum, to ensure your school trip is a truly educational experience.

Discover how we’ll tailor your school trip

Health & safety prioritised

As a proud Assured Member of the School Travel Forum, the health and safety of your group is always our priority.

Find out how we ensure your health and safety

Support every step of the way

We'll be with you every step of the way, from your very first enquiry until the moment you return home, including 24-hour support while you’re on your school trip.

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Financially secure school trips

We're ABTA bonded and all our air tours are ATOL protected, so you can be sure that your school trip is financially secure.

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Rewarding loyalty scheme

You'll earn loyalty points from your very first school trip with Halsbury. These can be used towards a discount on your school trip or a free gift for your school.

Explore our loyalty scheme

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The Halsbury Difference

School trips designed by teachers for teachers

Originally founded by teachers in 1986 and with several former teachers in our team, we understand the pressures on you as Group Leader and work hard to relieve them.

Trips tailored to your curriculum and learning objectives

We’ll design your trip around your specific learning objectives and curriculum, to ensure it meets your particular requirements.

Rewarding loyalty scheme

Work together with other teachers in your school to save thousands of pounds on future school trips with our multi-trip loyalty scheme!