Ever since our day in Paris, Bear has been wanting to have another train trip. The weather forecast was favourable for once so I suggested going somewhere this week.

We agreed on Lille as neither of us knows it except to walk the 400 metres from Lille Flandres to change for Eurostar.

Wednesday dawned and Bear was suddenly very solicitous for my health when I took a Nurofen. (I often wake up with a stiff neck but it passes once I move).

"Are you sure you feel like going?" he asked.

"Yes, of course. I'm just playing safe. How about you? Are your legs playing up?

"No, I'm fine," he insisted. "I was just thinking of you."

Now, this isn't like the Bear. If he wants to go somewhere and detects the slightest hint of reluctance on my part he makes a fuss.

So we played cat and mouse. He kept 'making sure' I was OK and I replied with similar signs of anxiety for his state of health. No way was I going to take the blame if we didn't go this time but I couldn't help wondering if he didn't feel up to it but wouldn't admit it.

Eventually we set off.

The journey there was noisy because of a family of three children and dad. They boarded the train at the last minute and dad found seats dotted around us and then went to get the luggage.

There were two free seats behind us so I suggested to Bear that we move there and let the family have the four together where we were.

He reluctantly agreed but then moaned because he didn't have such a good view because part of the window was obscured.

When the kids started talking loudly and excitedly Bear really began to simmer. Then a second family of youngsters began to run up and down.

It was a huge relief when we arrived at Lille.

The town is much more alive than Charleville and has many more shops and large pedestrian areas. The older buildings show a Flemish influence and there are some very attractive squares.

We looked in a couple of churches - St Maurice where Vierne first heard the sound of the organ and was inspired to play it himself (he was to become organist at Notre Dame de Paris) - and Notre Dame de Treille where the organ is being renovated. Bear would have given anything to jump over the barrier and get involved but had to content himself with talking photos.

There was a huge choice of cafes and I suggested eating outside at a brasserie offering pork in mustard sauce or cheese salad as plats du jour. Bear ordered pork and I had salad but he didn't like his meal - and I got the blame.

"I wouldn't have chosen to eat here."

"Well, you could have said no and we'd have gone somewhere else."

"No, you insisted on coming here."

Lille has lots of interesting bookshops and I took Bear into Le Furet du Nord where a helpful sales assistant brought all the train books from the bottom shelf and put them within reach for him so that he didn't have to bend. He chose two rather expensive tomes and I found a copy of Jane Eyre (in French) which I hoped would appeal to my friend Yvette.

There were several branches of Paul, a well known patisserie and boulangerie and we stocked up on fougasse and tarte au citron to bring home.

Towards the middle of the afternoon Bear's legs began to seize up and we had to stop for frequent coffees so that he could sit down.

Despite having a map he couldn't figure out the way  to the station and was reluctant to believe that the policeman I had asked had indicated the shortest route but we made it in good time without him collapsing.

The return journey was free from noisy children but the train itself made an incessant squeaky whistling sound that nearly drove us both mad.

When we arrived in Charleville and went to the car, Bear was not happy to find that I had left my window open. Fortunately nothing was missing but it gave him a good excuse to complain all the way home.