Vieille Bourse
A Flemish Renaissance building completed in 1653. Twenty-four small buildings surround a courtyard, which hosts an old book market and open-air chess.
The Vieille Bourse consists of 24 identical shop buildings arranged around an arcaded courtyard. Its façades are covered in carvings, caryatids, and floral and fruit reliefs, and it is considered one of the most beautiful buildings in Lille. From Tuesday to Sunday afternoons, the courtyard hosts stalls selling old books, prints, and postcards. In summer evenings, people often gather here to play chess or dance the tango. Entry is free. It is right next to the Grand Place and the opera house, so visit all three together.
Opening hours
Courtyard approx. 10:00–19:00; book market Tue–Sun afternoons
Nearby sights
- Grand Place (Place du Général-de-Gaulle)
- Opéra de Lille
- Maison Méert
- Palais Rihour & Place Rihour
- Church of Saint-Maurice
- Lille Cathedral (Notre-Dame-de-la-Treille)
- Vieux-Lille
- Hospice Comtesse Museum