Find designer labels along rue de la Clef and bargain price tags in Roubaix. Wave the waistline goodbye with chocolates from Benoit and waffles from Meert in the old town.

Lille Old Town blends established and emerging fashion stars with antiques, art and delicatessens along rue au Peterinck. Parisian department store Printemps on rue National is not far from pedestrianised rue de Béthune (where you’ll find another Parisian grand magasin, Galeries Lafayette). Look for the vast bookstore Le Furet du Nord on the Grand' Place. Clothes bargains pack Roubaix's factory outlet shops, and rue Gambetta, near Wazemmes market. The largest hypermarket is Carrefour in the Euralille shopping complex, ideal for picking up edible souvenirs: the mall's town centre rival is Les Tanneurs.

Browse for books in the Renaissance splendour of the Vieille Bourse as locals play chess in the shade. On Wednesday, Friday and Sunday mornings, chefs sniff out the freshest food in Place du Concert; there's a more general market on Place Sébastopol (Wed, Sat mornings). The main event is the thrice-weekly open-air flea market at Wazemmes (Sun, Tue & Thu mornings). There is also a renovated food hall at Wazemmes open Fridays and Saturdays.

Shop opening hours are Monday 2pm-7pm, Tuesday to Saturday 10am-7pm (or often 8pm in malls). Smaller shops close from 12pm-2pm. Most shops are closed on Sundays, so weekenders should nip down to rue Gambetta, where shops are open on Sunday morning from 9am-1pm. The indoor market at Wazemmes is open Tuesday to Thursday 9am-1pm, Friday and Saturday 9am-7pm, and Sunday 8am-2pm.