The Room ★ 3.7

The BOX Club ★ 3.7

The BOX Club on Rue Saint-Etienne in Lille programmes house, tech-house and techno, and turns generalist on the busier weekend nights.

Le Bistrot de St-So ★ 4.2

Le Bistrot de St-So sits inside the old Gare Saint-Sauveur in Lille, a bar with a stage running free concerts and DJ sets Wednesday to Saturday.

Tip: Programming gives priority to local artists and entry is free, so turn up rather than book.

Lokarria ★ 4.1

Lokarria on Rue des Postes in Lille is a Wazemmes cafe-concert of live sets, open mics and jam sessions, and one of the city's queer-friendly rooms.

Tip: Check the programme before you go. The room changes character completely on a gig night.

Mesa ★ 4.1

Mesa sits on the ninth floor of the ShAke building in Lille, a 360 degree rooftop terrace about forty metres above the Bois-Blancs waterfront.

Tip: It is the highest rooftop in Lille. Book a terrace table on a clear evening or you will stand.

The View ★ 4.1

The View is the top-floor hotel bar on Rue Pierre Mauroy in Lille, looking over the Opera and the rooftops of the centre with a creative card.

Tip: The bar runs mixology workshops for guests. Book those separately from a table.

Shelby Secret Bar ★ 4.3

Shelby Secret Bar on Rue Sainte-Anne in Lille is entered through a vintage telephone, a prohibition-styled room of built signature cocktails.

Tip: The signature cocktails, Le Finn and Le Lizzy among them, run at 14 euros and change with the seasons.