Lille, the largest city in French Flanders, chief town of the Nord département, the see of a bishop and a university town, lies near the Belgian frontier on the canalized river Deule. It is the center of a large industrial area with a population of around a million, in which the textile, chemical and engineering industries predominate.
Lille has few medieval buildings, and the pattern of the city center is set by a number of imposing 19th century buildings. General de Gaulle was born in Lille in 1890.
Lille, for long the capital of the County of Flanders, finally passed to France under the treaty of Utrecht in 1713. The earlier form of the name was L'Isle, reflecting its situation on an "island" between the Deule and the Lys.
Lille is known for having numerous interesting old churches, including St-Maurice, Ste-Catherine, St-André, and the Cathedral of Notre-Dame-de-la-Treille.
This annual month-long festival runs from mid-August to mid-September and includes a food and drink fair, a carnival, an open-air jumble sale and a craft market. Mussels, French fries, grilled fish and other local specialties are consumed by the tons every year by the thousands of visitors who flock to the area for a good time.
Address: Lille Tourist Office, Palais Rihour BP 205, F-59002 Lille, France
Beyond the Deule Canal is the imposing citadel, one of the finest of Vauban's fortifications, built for Louis XIV in 1668-1670 after the conquest of Lille. It is entered through the Porte Royale.
The Rue de Paris ends at the Porte de Paris, a large triumphal arch erected in honor of Louis XIV between 1682 and 1695 (architect Simon Vollant) which originally formed part of the town walls. It is France's largest triumphal arch after the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. Immediately east is the Hôtel de Ville (Town Hall, 1925-1933).
Address: Lille Tourist Office, Palais Rihour BP 205, F-59002 Lille, France
Tips: Groups should contact the Tourist Information Office in advance.
This annual six-week festival runs from mid-October to late November and features a different theme each year. The almost daily events range from operas, theatrical presentations and classical concerts to more modern fare such as jazz performances and film screenings. There are also lectures, debates, videos and slide shows.
Address: Lille Tourist Office, Palais Rihour BP 205, F-59002 Lille, France
The Lille Musée contains whale skeletons, fossils and a collection of stuffed birds, reptiles and mammals. There are also butterflies from around the world.
Address: Museum of Natural History, 19 rue de Bruxelles, F-59000 Lille, France
Hours:
9am-12pm, 2pm-5pm; Sun:10am-12pm, 2pm-5pm; Closed: Tue, Sat
Tips: Admission applies to Sunday only, free admission during the week.
The Hospice Comtesse in Lille, founded in 1237 and rebuilt in the 17th and 18th centuries, still preserves a 15th C hospital ward with a handsome timber roof. It now houses the Musée d'Art et de Traditions Populaires (decorative art, folk art and traditions).
Address: Musée Hospice Comtesse, 32 rue de la Monnaie, F-59000 Lille, France
Always closed on: New Year's Day (January 1), May Day / Labor Day (May 1), Bastille Day - France (July 14), Assumption Day - Christian (August 15), All Saints' Day - Christian (November 1), Christmas - Christian (December 25)
Tips: Group rates are available.
Discount: Wednesday, Saturday
Disability Access: Partial facilities for persons with disabilities.
This museum is set in the house where Charles de Gaulle was born on November 22nd 1890. Restoration began in 1983.
The birthplace of Charles de Gaulle contains pieces of furniture, family mementos and other personal items that bring the visitor back to life at the time of Charles' birth.
Address: Musée Charles de Gaulle, 9 rue Princess, F-59000 Lille, France
The museum of fine arts, on the south side of the Place de la Liberté in Lille, is one of the richest museums in France. It has a celebrated collection of paintings by Flemish, Dutch, Italian, Spanish and French masters, including works by Goya, Rubens, Van Dyck, Delacroix, Courbet, Monet, Renoir and Toulouse-Lautrec, as well as sculpture, applied and decorative art, folk art and some 3,000 Italian and French drawings.
The interior of Museum d'Art et d'Industrie in Lille.
Address: Musée des Beaux Arts, 18 bis rue de Valmy, F-59000 Lille, France
Hours:
10am-6pm; Mon:2pm-6pm; Closed: Tue
Always closed on: New Year's Day (January 1), 1945 Victory Day (May 8), May Day / Labor Day (May 1), Bastille Day - France (July 14), Assumption Day - Christian (August 15), All Saints' Day - Christian (November 1), Remembrance Day / 1918 Armistice Day (November 11), Christmas - Christian (December 25), Pentecost Monday (Whit Monday) - Christian
Lille's most modern sight is the fully automatic underground railroad, the Métro, which came into operation in 1983 and serves the main parts of the city.
This annual three-day street fair in Lille takes place during the first weekend in September and covers kilometers of streets. The fair is open to anyone who wants to buy or sell goods.
Address: Lille Tourist Office, Palais Rihour BP 205, F-59002 Lille, France
Aire-sur-la-Lys is the site of an annual two-day festival which takes place in early September. The focus of this event is its famous sausage, with tons of pork eaten every year.
Address: Lille Tourist Office, Palais Rihour BP 205, F-59002 Lille, France
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Place du Theatre, Lille
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