Flea to Lille for bargain

PICK up some bargains at Europe's largest annual flea market next weekend.

La Braderie in Lille dates back to medieval times, and the streets come alive on September 6 and 7 when thousands of shoppers pick over goods on 200 kilometres of pavement.

Stalls selling everything from rare antiques and furniture to vintage clothing, bric-a-brac and art line the narrow, cobbled streets, alongside entertainers and food stands offering mouth-watering French and Flemish cuisine.

If you're a fan of moules frites then you may unwittingly enter a contest.

Select

Traditionally the city's restaurants stack up the empty mussel shells and compete to see which one has the biggest pile by the end of the weekend.

Travelling to La Braderie couldn't be easier with Eurostar. The high- speed train gets you from London St Pancras to Lille Europe station- minutes from the city centre-in just 1hour 20minutes. Return fares start from £55.

Or treat yourself to Leisure Select class, enjoying roomier accommodation plus meals and drinks served at your seat from £115 for a weekend day return.

And don't forget that you're allowed two items of baggage per person, plus one small item of hand luggage, so serious shoppers can carry their bargains home at no extra cost.

Visit www.eurostar. com or call 08705 186 186.

Late Deals

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC- £555, 7 nights all-inclusive at 3-star Tropical Playa in Playa Dorada, from Gatwick, September 30, www.airtours. co.uk or call 0844 871 6636.

KEFALONIA-£345, 7 nights B&B at 3-star Pericles Hotel, Sami, from Manchester, September 21, www.thomas cook.com, 08450 70 25 30.

COSTA DEL SOL-£249, 7 nights self-catering at 4T Myramar Castle Beach Apartments in Fuengirola, from Luton, Sept 25, www.thom son. co.uk, 0871 231 5595.

CAIRO-£399, 4 nights B&B at 4-star Intercontinental Pyra- mids Park, from Heathrow, September 28, www.hayes andjarvis.com, 0871 664 0246.

THINKING about how to spend the £60 rebate that all British basic-rate taxpayers will get next month? Iceland Express is selling Stansted to Reykjavik flights tomorrow for just £60 (iceland express.com).

TAKE the kids on the 16-mile scenic route of Severn Valley Railway from Kidderminster to Bridgenorth. Hop off to see the locomo-tives in the Engine House at Highley Station. Adult £15, child £8 (svr.co.uk/engine house.php, 01299 403816).

EXPEDIA customers now get 1,000 Nectar points when they buy a holiday, and 200 points when they book a flight or hotel or hire a car (expedia.co.uk).

VISIT: Table mountain

KLM seat bonanza

KLM has a seat sale from tomorrow on flights all over the world.

One destination is Cape Town, with a return from £579. You could visit Table Mountain National Park, chill out on a beach or even try surfing, bungee jumping, river rafting and shark diving.

Flights to Sao Paulo, Brazil, are from £549 return, Shanghai £459 and Nairobi £385. KLM flies from 14 regional UK airports. Book by September 30 for travel up to end of March 2009 (www. klm.com, 0871 222 7474).

Week of hip hop

THERE'S lots going on down on the farm in Tonbridge, Kent.

Hop Farm Family Park is holding its annual Hop Festival from tomorrow until Friday.

There's exhibitions, song and dance shows, country games, waxworks, beer tastings and shops. The 450-year-old farm also has the largest collection of Oast houses in Europe, shire horses and a hop garden.

Tickets cost £15, including a cream tea, DVD and book (www.thehopfarm. co.uk, 01622 872 068).

30% off cruises

BOOK an easyCruise by tonight and save 30 per cent on its new sailings.

Next year's new cruises include stops at some of Greece's most popular islands and the company's first visit to Crete and Rhodes. There's also a new range of festival celebrations including Greek's Patras Carnival.

Choose from 10 different itineraries, with a seven-night cruise costing from just £179 per person, based on two sharing an inside cabin. (www.easyCruise.com, 0871 210 0001).