When to visit Lille

The question I get asked most. Short answer: May to September. The longer answer depends on what you're coming for. There are good reasons to come off-season, as long as you know what you're getting into.

The climate, in two lines

Lille has an oceanic climate: cool, damp and windy for much of the year. Along with Brittany, the region is one of the least sunny in France. That said, the reputation is a little overdone. It doesn't rain constantly, but it can rain at any time, including in mid-July. Always bring a jacket, even in summer.

May to September: the good season

These are the warmest months, and also the driest. June sits around 21 °C in the afternoon, with about ten rainy days in the month. July is the warmest, averaging a high of 23.7 °C. From June to September the terraces are out, the Citadelle park fills up and the Grand'Place stays busy late.

The high point of the season is the first weekend of September, with the Braderie. If you only come once, come that weekend. But book your accommodation months ahead.

Late November to end of December: the Christmas season

It's cold and dark by 5pm, but this is when the city looks its best. The Christmas market takes over Place Rihour, the Ferris wheel goes up on the Grand'Place and the whole centre switches to festive lighting. A mulled wine in hand in front of the lit brick façades makes you forget the temperature.

January to March: the dead season, and I won't pretend otherwise

Let's be honest, this is the flattest stretch of the year in Lille. The days are short, the sky sits low, it's cold and damp, the terraces are packed away and not much happens between the end of the holidays and spring. If you can choose your dates and you're coming for the atmosphere, avoid it.

Now, if you don't have a choice, or you're coming for the city rather than the sunshine, there are real upsides:

• Hotels are at their cheapest and you'll find rooms anywhere, even at weekends.
• The museums are empty. The Palais des Beaux-Arts on a Tuesday in February is almost a private viewing, and it holds the second-largest collection in France.
• The estaminets are in their element. A carbonnade and a dark beer make complete sense when it's 4 °C outside. That's why this cooking exists.
• The Ferris wheel runs until mid-January, long after the chalets come down. In early January you'll have it almost to yourself.

April and October: the in-between months

Two months people underrate. April is the driest month of the year. It stays cool, but the light comes back and the city wakes up. October has good autumn light, far fewer people than summer, and temperatures that still let you walk all day.

And if it rains anyway?

It will, whatever the season. That's no reason to stay in your hotel. Lille handles rain well, between the museums, the Vieille Bourse, the covered galleries and the estaminets. It's all in the itineraries.