Esquermes

Buzzing, student-filled Vauban Esquermes is known for its late-night music clubs, street-corner “zinc” bars, and hip cafes. Once an army barracks, the 17th-century, star-shaped Citadel is now home to a nature park and Zoo Lille, with its birds and reptiles. The leafy expanses of the Bois de Boulogne on the River Deûle and the formal Vauban Gardens are popular with joggers, cyclists, and picnickers.