Difference between revisions of "Lille"

From Hitchwiki
Jump to navigation Jump to search
Line 13: Line 13:
 
Or else, get to the gas staion on the N356 about 800m north of metro station Mons Sarts. (Need to jump a small fence and get through some bushes to get into here). From here you can find lifts going into Belgium and have the chance to talk to drivers.  
 
Or else, get to the gas staion on the N356 about 800m north of metro station Mons Sarts. (Need to jump a small fence and get through some bushes to get into here). From here you can find lifts going into Belgium and have the chance to talk to drivers.  
  
In theory the border seems like a good spot to hitchhike but [[User:Guaka|guaka]] and Erga had to wait about 20 minutes before one of the many cars stopped - on a Sunday afternoon. Beware of them [[Sunday]] folks. It's a good spot to catch a ride into the Netherlands though. Or get a ride to the gas station 5 kms into Belgium at Kortrijk where there were loads of Netherlands folk stopping for a refill.
+
The '''border''' is also quite a good spot. To get there you'll have to take the Line 2 of the metro until "C. H. Dron" (last stop, and actually already in Turcoing, not in Lille). From there to the A1 is about 10-15 minute walk (take rue de la Briqueterie which then becomes rue du Vertuquet).
 +
The A1 on ramp there is not a very good place to be, you can try for a few minutes though if you're already tired walking. Otherwise the border is some 500 meters down the highway. There is space to walk behind the safety barrier. Once there, you'll see the abandoned border terminal. Get past it, and there will be plenty of room to hitch. Speed is limited to 10 or 20 km/h there. You can try to catch a ride into the Netherlands or just get a ride to the gas station 5 kms into Belgium at Kortrijk where loads of Netherlands folk stop for a refill.
  
 
=== A1 South towards [[Paris]], [[A26 (France)|A26]] [[Reims]], [[Dijon]], [[Lyon]] ===
 
=== A1 South towards [[Paris]], [[A26 (France)|A26]] [[Reims]], [[Dijon]], [[Lyon]] ===

Revision as of 17:27, 7 August 2011

Lille is in Northern France on the border with Belgium.

Hitchhiking out

Getting out of Lille is quite difficult, but not impossible.

A22/E17 North towards Antwerp, Brussels, Gent, Netherlands

<map lat='50.62420185009975' lng='2.995147705078125' zoom='10' view='0' float='right'/>

You can avoid getting stuck in Lille by getting out at the last petrol station on the A1. "Aire de repos de Carvin" is quite a big station, good for hitching, and it's 15km due south from the centre.

Otherwise, take the tram-line T to Chateau Rouge. As you get out, you can see the motorway. The spot is the motorway slip road. There's not a lot of traffic, but there is space for drivers to safely pull over and pick you up.

Or else, get to the gas staion on the N356 about 800m north of metro station Mons Sarts. (Need to jump a small fence and get through some bushes to get into here). From here you can find lifts going into Belgium and have the chance to talk to drivers.

The border is also quite a good spot. To get there you'll have to take the Line 2 of the metro until "C. H. Dron" (last stop, and actually already in Turcoing, not in Lille). From there to the A1 is about 10-15 minute walk (take rue de la Briqueterie which then becomes rue du Vertuquet). The A1 on ramp there is not a very good place to be, you can try for a few minutes though if you're already tired walking. Otherwise the border is some 500 meters down the highway. There is space to walk behind the safety barrier. Once there, you'll see the abandoned border terminal. Get past it, and there will be plenty of room to hitch. Speed is limited to 10 or 20 km/h there. You can try to catch a ride into the Netherlands or just get a ride to the gas station 5 kms into Belgium at Kortrijk where loads of Netherlands folk stop for a refill.

A1 South towards Paris, A26 Reims, Dijon, Lyon

First option

The best way to get to Paris is to take the metro to "Porte d'Arras". From there walk in the direction of the motorway, cross the bridge and then make a left and you will see an accelerating lane going onto the ring. The best is to stand next to the traffic lights just before the ramp with a sign. People have time to stop on the ramp if they want to take you. You may want to aim for the direct ride to Paris and have a "Paris" sign but you can also play it safe and have an "Aire de Phallampin" sign which is the first petrol station on the A1 going to Paris. Garthelgard has hitchhiked from this spot more than twenty times and has never waited more than 30 minutes.

Second option

Go to the big roundabout at the end of Boulevard de la Moselle. It's possible to get a ride in almost any direction. It's safe for cars to pull over and one can ask also at the traffic lights.

Third option

the best option is the one shown on the map at the end of "Boulevard des Cités Unies" but for some reason no one wrote it here... Porte D'arras is in the middle of the slums. It's fucking hardcore.

To go via the A26 southwards direction Reims its quite senseless to ask people at the "Aire de Phallampin". Rather let someone take you to the Peage right before the junction between A1/A26. Stand at the Peage with a Sign "A26/Reims" makes more sense.

A22/E17 South towards Paris

Take the tram-line line T to Chateau Rouge. As you get out, you'll see the motorway directly in front of you. The spot is the motorway slip road - you'll see it signposted 'Paris'.

When I was there there wasn't a lot of traffic, but there is an additional lane which allows drivers to safely pull in and pick you up. The problem is that not all the cars taking this route are going to be heading south - make a sign and be patient. International Bob stopped a number of cars here, and got onto the A1 within an hour.

Sleep

Lille is expensive and is not very comfortable for the outdoor person. You probably won't have much of a problem with the police, but the drunks take being lunatics very seriously and they don't ever seem to pass out and leave you alone. As a result, you'll be met with all sorts of unwanted babbling conversation and one even tried to strangle Zactalk with a belt. Gare Lille Flandres is especially inhospitable.