Chocolating my Way Through Lille, France - Sundays in My City

Is "chocolating" a verb?  Spell check doesn't like it but I've decided that chocolate can be made a verb and so I've done it! Yesterday I took the train to Lille, France. This was one of those times when I wanted to go somewhere but didn't have a particular destination in mind. So, I pull up the map and look to see what there is that's about the distance I want to travel.  Then I google the place and see if it offers something I think would be interesting.

Archeological records show Lille to be inhabited as early as 2000BC and was invaded by Vikings form about 830-910. The name Lille comes from  l'Isla, which means the island, since the area used to be very marshy.

Lille, like many good-sized towns here has a Grand Place. And, like all the others, it's nice but honestly, at this point they all kind of look the same.

I wasn't sure if this was a demonstration or a celebration (I heard a few bottles smash but that didn't help me figure it out) so I steered clear.

So aside from visiting the Grand Place (in Lille it's located on Place du General de Gaulle) I dedicated the day to chocolate!  While looking up things to see and do in Lille I found a self-guided chocolate tour someone had posted. They mapped a walking route to 7 different chocolate shops.  Sounded perfect to me!

I actually ended up visiting 9 shops (or, at least, when I laid out all my purchases there were items from 9 shops)...one from the map I didn't find and I happened by a few that weren't on the map. I bought something from each shop and whereas it doesn't look like a lot of chocolate, it cost a lot of money!

On the train ride home I enjoyed my treat from Meert; the only shop where I didn't buy chocolate. The specialty of this shop was homemade waffle cookies filled with a vanilla cream. The cream wasn't too sweet and it wasn't white whipped cream either. It was tasty. Of course, it was paired with coffee in my trusty travel cup.

This was my haul for the day.  Several items (those that are milk chocolate) are for the colleague who is taking such good care of my dogs right now and the white chocolate (which isn't really chocolate at all to those of us who are serious about our chocolate) cat pop is for Gran but the rest is dark chocolate all for me :D

I'll admit, by the end I was actually tired of looking at chocolate (I never thought I'd hear myself say those words!) and was hoping I didn't happen by any more shops. And...for all that chocolate shopping, I only received a free sample at two locations :(  And only one had samples out for you to take; the other gave me a free one only after I had bought something.

Whether you like chocolate or not (if you don't, I'm pretty sure we can't be friends) head over to Unknown Mami and check out other SIMC posts.