Museums and tourist sites a must-see

Undoubtedly Lille’s most picturesque and chic district. Following major conservation work, Vieux-Lille has become a veritable eldorado, attracting many curious visitors every year. What could be better than to lose yourself in its streets and alleys, filled with history? You’ll be captivated by the pretty colors of this idyllic setting, as beautiful in summer as it is in winter.

Immerse yourself in 800 years of history, in this former hospital in the heart of Vieux-Lille, founded in 1237 on the initiative of Countess Jeanne de Flandres. The remains of this authentic building are still very well preserved. Step through the doors of this museum to discover the chapel, the patients’ ward, the medicinal garden, the coat of arms, paintings and antiques recounting the life of the Augustinian nuns.

This is undoubtedly one of Vauban’s most impressive projects: a huge fortress built in 1670, on the orders of Louis XIV, who had just conquered the city. Its star-shaped design is a masterpiece of strategic and military ingenuity. Sixty million bricks, three million stone blocks and seventy thousand feet of sandstone were required for its construction. The Citadelle of Lille has not lost its defensive role, as it is still a military base today.

The town hall, built between 1924 and 1932 by architect Émile Dubuisson, is inspired by Flemish tradition, with its triangular gabled houses, and the use of a resolutely modern material: reinforced concrete. A symbol of the freedom of northern cities, its 104-meter-high belfry is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In fact, it’s the highest belfry in the world! Its base features sculptures of the city’s two founding giants: Lyderic and Phinaert.

It is one of France’s richest museums. A 19th-century building with remarkable gilding and decoration. Here you’ll find prestigious collections of European paintings, sculptures and ceramics from the last few centuries. The Middle Ages and Renaissance departments feature an important cabinet of drawings, as well as relief plans of some fifteen towns fortified by Vauban, in northern France and Belgium.