Cita-Parc

Fairground rides in the heart of the Citadel

Cita-Parc occupies a wooded pocket of Lille’s Citadel, between the zoo, the canals and the broad paths of the city park. Within this compact footprint, the walkways bring rides close to mature trees, lawns and hedges, creating a place that feels as much like a leisure garden as a permanent fairground.

The current collection comprises sixteen attractions. Requin Express’ brings the curves of a family roller coaster, Les Chutes de la Citadelle runs through a landscape of water and timber, and L’Arbre Magique lifts its chairs beneath a broad leafy crown. Around those landmarks, ladybirds, tulips, ducks, horses and small vehicles interpret the nature theme at a child’s scale.

A renewed Lille identity

The grounds continue the story of Parc des Poussins, long associated with family recreation around the Citadel. After it closed in 2017, Thierry Fééry began a multimillion-euro transformation. Cita-Parc opened on 15 August 2018 with fifteen attractions, hand-painted decoration and a completely reworked setting inspired by animals and plants.

L’Incontournable Petit Train de la Forêt preserves a visible link with the former park, while La Ferme de Cita-Parc and Le Carrousel refreshed the collection in 2024. Five food venues now accompany the rides, from small sweet and savoury counters to L’Oasis beside the Deûle.

A fairground open to the city

Admission to the grounds remains free and each ride uses a ticket, with an unlimited day pass also available. This model keeps Cita-Parc connected to the rhythm of a public walk: colourful ride silhouettes appear among the trees inside a heritage landscape the park never tries to overwhelm.