The Citadel's Secret — Uncover Lille's Hidden Executions
Decipher the coded messages left by resistance fighters executed in the Citadel's dungeons during WWI occupation. Uncover the truth behind the Jacquet Committee's final hours.
📱 1 to 10 phones · 1 team per phone · Independent codes
September 1915
At the Sites of Ancient Justice
September 1915. Lille lies under German occupation. A clandestine resistance network—the Comité Jacquet—operated in the shadows, passing intelligence to the Allies. But the network was betrayed. Eugène Jacquet, Georges Maertens, Ernest Deceuninck, Sylvère Verhulst, and the young student Léon Trulin were arrested, tried in secret, and executed in the ditches of the Citadelle. Their bodies were never returned to their families. Now, a century later, fragments of their final correspondence have surfaced—hidden messages, coded warnings, and a confession that was never delivered. You must walk the streets surrounding the Citadelle, visit the sites where they were captured, interrogated, and shot, and piece together the truth: Who betrayed them? What intelligence were they protecting? And what message did they leave behind? The monument to the Fusillés lillois stands as a silent witness. But the real story—the one the occupation forces tried to bury—is waiting to be decoded.
A game, a guided tour and a heritage guide — all in one
You're not just buying an escape game. You're carrying a living guide — historical anecdotes, forgotten legends, key monuments, hidden architecture — unfolding as you go.
At each stop, places ordinary guides miss — secret façades, sculpted crests, alleys steeped in history.
Every riddle is rooted in a real historical fact or local legend. You leave with dozens of stories to tell.
Learn to read buildings — flamboyant Gothic, Baroque, Art Deco — like a real art historian, while having fun.
Walk through the city like a novel's character — every alley becomes a stage, every square a theatre.
A voice walks with you at every step, tells the story of each place, reads clues, adds a cinematic feel.
Keep access to the guide & game for 1 year. Come back any time, share it with friends.
« You will not leave this city the way you entered it. »
How does it work?
Explore the city on foot solving puzzles based on real historical facts. No locked room — the city is your playground.
No app to download. Play directly from your browser. Guided step by step, at your own pace.
One purchase per phone is enough. Play with family, friends or as a couple — everyone participates.
Point your phone at the façade: a historical character appears and speaks to you in your language. Golden letters magically write themselves on the wall to reveal the puzzle answer.
Stuck? Progressive personalised hints. The character repeats the puzzle on demand — at your own pace.
French, English, German, Spanish, Italian + 27 other languages auto-translated by AI.
Want to go deeper?
Places tied to your adventure — optional entries, totally up to you · per person
« Fear is not the foundation of justice, but it is its oldest instrument. »— Provost of Lille, 1690
Blood on the Cobblestones of Flanders
Lille's history is punctuated by periods when justice was publicly administered, often with a cruelty intended to leave a lasting impression. The main squares, once bustling markets, transformed into stages for executions, reminding everyone of the power of the ruling authority. These events, etched into collective memory, shaped Lille's dark legends and spooky Lille.
The late 17th century was marked by a royal justice that sought to assert its authority over newly conquered territories. Edicts and sentences were rigorously applied, and the figure of the executioner, though feared, was an essential cog in this state apparatus. Each location on this route still bears the reminiscences of these implacable judgments, making every street corner a haunted walking tour Lille.
The Route
8 stages through the city
The gameplay: AR, camera, hidden clues
At each stop, open your phone camera: an augmented reality character appears on the façade and speaks your language. Hunt the clue — it materializes as golden letters on the real wall or floats in front of you. When you find it, the phone vibrates, an AR chest opens and reveals your answer fragment. 8 stops, 8 clues to find with the camera, 1 final code.
The stops on your route are a surprise. You'll discover them one by one, guided by your phone, starting from the meeting point.
How does it work with a group?
One phone = one team. Pick the number at checkout (1 to 10).
Solo, or a group sharing the screen. One team, one code.
Family, couple, or 2-3 teams competing. Each phone has its own code and its own score.
Friends, bachelor/bachelorette, small office outing — each their own code, each plays at their own pace. Tiered pricing then €6 flat per phone from the 6th.
- ✓All codes are independent — play at the same time OR separately, each team advances at its own pace.
- ✓Leaderboard between your teams + global game leaderboard — each score appears in the public ranking.
- ✓More than 10 phones or need a personalized quest? Discover custom tours.
Ready to live this adventure?
Get my code · 15€No calendar booking. Code sent immediately by email.
🔒 Secure payment · Code in 5 min · Free cancellation
Practical info
Why this route?
Echoes of Punishment
Explore the historic sites of justice and torment, where AR reveals the specters of the condemned and executioners.
Forgotten Decrees
Decipher ancient ordinances and proclamations to reconstruct the city's dark legal past.
Immersive Atmosphere
Immerse yourself in a chilling narrative, with AR effects of fog, whispered voices, and moving shadows.
The past never dies, it just waits to be revealed.
Face the shadow of history.
9 features nobody else has
OddballTrip combines gamified play, augmented reality and AI. All our competitors deliver 1 or 2 of these angles. We deliver all 5.
AR treasure chest
A golden chest floats in front of the monument. Tap → opening animation → reveals a secret message.
AR narrator character
Point your phone at the façade: a knight, witch, monk, sailor, detective or ghost appears full-screen and speaks to you in your language with their dedicated ElevenLabs voice (each character has their own unique voice) — your living guide.
Magic golden letters
At the puzzle climax, golden letters magically write themselves on the real wall — that's the puzzle answer. An unforgettable visual effect.
Written + audio narration
Every puzzle available as text AND voice-over: read at your own pace or listen eyes-free while walking. Great in groups and for accessibility.
360° radar + vibration
A mini-radar shows the target even behind you, and the phone vibrates when you aim in the right direction.
Heritage storytelling
Every puzzle weaves in real historical facts (architecture, era, anecdotes). You learn by playing — like a gamified audioguide.
Progressive AI hints
3 levels of AI-generated help: vibe → where to look → answer format. You're never stuck.
AR selfie memento
At the end of the game, capture a selfie with OddballTrip banner + mascot, shareable on Instagram, WhatsApp, TikTok.
Zero app to install
PWA technology: open the link, it plays in your browser. Same quality as an app, no App Store hassle.
Frequently asked questions
Q01Do I need to download an app?
No, never. You get a link, you click, it plays in your browser. That's the point of a PWA: same as an app, without the hassle.
Q02Does it work offline?
GPS yes (handled by your phone). Maps yes (tiles cached). AI and hints need an intermittent 4G connection.
Q03How long does a game take?
1 h 30 to 2 h 30 depending on your pace. The timer runs but only for the leaderboard — you play at your own tempo.
Q04What happens if I'm stuck?
You get 3 levels of hints per puzzle (increasing penalty). If truly stuck, you can skip the step (45-min penalty but you keep going).
Q05What's the age range?
From 12 without an adult, from 6 with an adult reading puzzles. Works for families, couples, friend groups, companies.
Q06What if my city isn't in the catalogue?
Pre-register or contact us — we'll email you as soon as your city is live.
Q07What is augmented reality exactly?
Point your phone at the façade: a historical character appears full-screen and speaks to you in your language. At the puzzle climax, golden letters magically write themselves on the real wall — that's your answer. After each puzzle solved, a treasure chest floats in front of you. Seeing is believing.
Avis des aventuriers
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Your turn to play
Dare to unveil Lille's darkest chapters. Follow the executioner's footsteps and discover the harsh realities of a bygone era, in a historical investigation that will keep you on the edge of your seat.
1 purchase = 1 phone. Play several on the same device.
No calendar booking. Code sent immediately by email.
🔒Secure payment · Code in 5 min · Free cancellation
🪙+24 TripCoins granted with your booking
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