Pub handy for the stations in Lille

On a recent long weekend in France I had a bit of time to kill between trains so had a wander around Lille town centre. There are some interesting buildings and a street where almost everything is a bar/cafe. However, these all seemed very expensive and I didn't spot any interesting beers, so retreated towards Liile Flandres station, where I had noticed a bar called Les Trois Brasseurs (The Three Brewers). From the outside it looks just like many other French bars, with a covered terrace hiding the front of the bar from the street. However, I did spot a notice which suggested that they brew their own beer here, so I went inside. Just inside the door is a disused copper tun, which with typical French lack of style has been cut in half, propped up on bricks and turned into a seating area.

The bar itself is old-fashioned, with some hand pumps dotted about and a separate area for diners. There are display cases showing the range of bottled beers available to take out (e.g. three 75cl bottles of standard beers €10.60, three special - i.e. stronger - beers €15.90, or two bottles and a glass at €8.70 and €14.30 respectively), and a price list and menu in the corner, about two metres tall.

My half of Brune was €3.10 (about £2.75), which is expensive if you're thinking English prices, but is fairly typical for France and a lot cheaper than the other bars I checked out in Lille. Les Trois Brasseurs is directly opposite Lille Flandres, and not much more than five minutes' walk from Lille Europe.

We have done 3 of these now and the Lille one was the first one we did. We found one in Brussels last April, then one in Toronto last May. They all do the taster trays of the beers they brew, and we found them worth visiting.

Not to be missed in Lille. The huge dining area to the left of, and beyond, the smaller bar area serves excellent flammekeuche, a sort of v large thin pizza, but better. Very good value, and wash it down with a couple of beers or a taster selection.