Lille is a city in northern France, close to the Belgian border. It is the capital of the Hauts-de-France region and the prefecture of the Nord department. With a population of 1.5 million, it is the fourth most populous city in France. Nicknamed the “Capital of Flanders’, Lille has a turbulent history from the Middle Ages to modern times and was once a major industrial capital due to its textile and mechanical industries. Today it is known for its 17th century red brick townhouses, pedestrian streets, Grand’Place, Euralille business district, TGV and Eurostar connections, international airport, annual events such as the Braderie de Lille in early September, student and university centre (with over 110,000 students), European Capital of Culture 2004 and World Design Capital 2020. For me, it was also a good match with two of the Belgian’s regional high points, Hotondberg and Kemmelberg.
The Porte de Paris, also known as the Porte des Malades, is a gate in the city walls of Lille, built at the end of the 17th century to celebrate the victories of Louis XIV.The Palais des Beaux-Arts de Lille is a municipal museum dedicated to fine arts, modern art and antiques. It was founded in 1809 by order of Napoleon I as part of the popularisation of the arts.The church of Saint-Maurice is a Gothic hall church. It was built over four centuries, from the end of the 14th century to the end of the 19th century.Rue Nationale 1.8 km long, it is one of the main arteries of the cityThe Vieille Bourse (Old Stock Exchange) is a landmark of the city centre, located between the Grand Place and the Place du Théâtre. It is made up of 24 identical buildings around an inner courtyard which serves as a meeting place for booksellers, florists, chess players and tourists and is served by the Rihour metro station.The Opéra de Lille is a neo-classical opera house built between 1907 and 1913 and officially opened in 1923.Rue EsquermoiseOld books market at Vieille BourseLes Fusillés Lille is a sculpture on the Daubenton square commemorating the execution by the Germans of five members of the First World War Resistance, including the young student Léon Trulin.
