It's in Vieux Lille, the Old Town of the city, that the Flemish dash to Lille's character can be most clearly seen. The red brick buildings and narrow cobbled lanes have a distinct Belgian feel.
The quarter had fallen into disrepair, but now it's been cleaned up and houses the regular Euro-old town collection of bars, boutiques, and restaurants.
This is where many of the city's premier sites are located: the town museum located in the 13th-century Musée de l'Hospice Comtesse, the Cathedrale Notre Dame de la Treille, and the birthplace of Charles de Gaulle. But sightseeing aside, this is a trés pleasant place to lose yourself on a sunny day, stopping only to test out another restaurant or ogle some designer fashion.
Lille Old Town is centred around rue d'Angleterre, place du Lion-d'Or and rue de la Monnaie.
