IMA Tourcoing
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MUba Eugène Leroy
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IMA TourcoingWhat to do in Tourcoing?Our ideas for exploring the City differently
Must-See spots for visiting Tourcoing
IMA TourcoingFan Tour Tournage Pmac 2020 Ville De TourcoingMUba Eugène Leroy-Projection: Rectilinear (0)FOV: 69 x 59Ev: 13.9820150312 Vl Le Fresnoy1MUba Eugène Leroy: Art Without the Whispers
Forget stuffy museums where you’re afraid to breathe. Here, in this beautiful mansion, everything mixes: a Rembrandt drawing can sit alongside a contemporary canvas by local artist Eugène Leroy. It’s a place for face-to-face encounters, where you’re invited to feel before understanding. Get lost in Leroy’s thick layers of paint, sit down, watch the light change. It’s beautiful, it’s raw, and you leave with a freer vision of what painting can be.
The little extra: It’s free on the first Sunday of the month. Perfect for an impromptu wander.
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20231030 Sa Muba 025 LargeLe Fresnoy: Tomorrow’s Image Lab
If you love cinema, digital art, or simply being amazed by weird installations (in the best way), head to Le Fresnoy. It’s the “National Studio for Contemporary Arts,” but put simply: this is where the world’s future great artists come to test things out. You wander beneath an immense metal roof covering the old buildings of a 1920s amusement park. It’s futuristic, mysterious, and there’s always an exhibition or an “Art and Essay” film screening to push you out of your comfort zone.
Three people explore an immersive installation of colourful projections at an exhibition.IMA-Tourcoing: A Journey to the East… in a Former Swimming Pool
If we told you that you could explore treasures of the Arab world in a 1920s former swimming school, would you believe us? That’s the charm of IMA-Tourcoing. You wander beneath glass roofs between exhibitions that challenge assumptions (we loved the one on Raï music or on Baghdad with Assassin’s Creed). It’s a place that builds bridges between here and there, with always-lively programming: intimate concerts, cooking workshops, or Arabic lessons. You feel transported elsewhere while staying right in the heart of the neighborhood.
Our favorite: The architecture. The building alone is worth the visit, even if you only have 20 minutes.
IMA Tourcoing
Maison Folie Hospice d’Havré: Eight Centuries of Serenity
This is our little secret. Push open the door of this former monastery and you travel back in time. The cloister is magnificent, the medicinal plant garden calms you in two minutes, and yet you’ll find ultra-modern art exhibitions.
It’s this mix that makes Tourcoing special: the calm of old stones combined with the energy of today’s cultural projects. Come for a conference, a workshop, or just for the pleasure of walking in silence beneath the arcades.
The gardens of the Hospice d'Havré
20131006 Bad Tourcoing Hospice D Havre 018Le Grand Mix: The Soundtrack to Your Nights
Everyone knows Le Grand Mix. For many from Lille, Tourcoing means this legendary concert venue first and foremost. Why? Because the programming is always cutting-edge (often ahead of everyone else) and the atmosphere is uniquely intimate. You see indie gems, rock, electronic music, and often end the night chatting at the bar with fellow enthusiasts.
The tip: Try their “Cantine” at lunchtime on weekdays. It’s good, it’s local, and it’s the perfect place to meet the venue’s team.
Grand Mix Ok 2Art Nouveau and Art Decoan open-air museum
In Tourcoing, architecture tells the story of textile-era success without ever being boring. You don’t need to be an expert to notice that the façades have serious character. As you stroll, you’ll encounter two complementary styles: the vegetal curves of Art Nouveau and the elegant rigor of Art Deco.
Along the boulevards or right in the center, just look up. You’ll see colorful stained glass, ironwork crafted like lace, and bay windows (those projecting windows) that testify to the care given to every detail.
The spot you can’t miss: The Courthouse. With its massive lines and perfect geometry, it’s one of the region’s most impressive Art Deco examples.
My walk tip: Stroll around the train station area. It’s a real catalog of styles. You’ll have fun spotting a forgotten mosaic here, a sculpted door there… It’s this mix of raw brick and refined decoration that gives Tourcoing its unique look.
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Tourcoing,Directors' favorite setting
You may have already seen Tourcoing on screen without even knowing it.
With its brick perspectives, former industrial sites, and interiors that seem frozen in time, the city is a full-scale film set. This is where the teams of The Little Murders of Agatha Christie regularly set up their cameras to recreate the 1970s aesthetic. The series HPI is also a regular here, along with numerous feature films seeking that particular Northern light. Don’t be surprised if you turn a corner and stumble upon a film set: here, cinema is part of the scenery.
Did you know? The diversity of neighborhoods allows filmmakers to simulate both postwar Paris and ultra-modern crime scenes.
Shooting a seriesWhere to eat in TourcoingThe city's best restaurants
Eating in Tourcoing guarantees stumbling upon gems you won’t find anywhere else.
Far from standardized chains, the local food scene focuses on authentic and local. We’ve tested the canteens, modern estaminets, and hidden terraces that make the creative quarter vibrate.
Shall we sit down to eat?
Tourcoing Jazz Festival celebrates 40 Years!
Four decades of Tourcoing making the metropolis swing, and this year, we’re changing dimensions.
For its 40th edition, the festival isn’t just blowing out candles: it’s transforming the city into a massive open-air jazz club.
From October 10-17, 2026, it’s now or never to come feel the vibe. Whether you’re a blue note purist or simply curious about the atmosphere, the program promises to be historic, between world headliners at the Municipal Theater and bold discoveries under the legendary Magic Mirrors.
Why you can’t miss this: 40 years only happens once.
Insider advice: Don’t wait until the last minute for tickets. For an anniversary like this, seats will likely go even faster than usual.
Where to stay in Tourcoing?
Why sleep elsewhere when you can stay in an industrial loft or a hidden mansion?
Setting down your bags here means choosing calm and character, far from cookie-cutter hotels.
Our best addresses for waking up with a view of red bricks, right next to Lille.
La Plaine Images: bricks, pixels, and genius
20240423 Sa Plaineimages 014 LargeDon’t be fooled by the factory chimneys dominating the neighborhood: here, they’re no longer making fabric, but video games, animated films, and tech. It’s kind of the headquarters for those working in imagery, but without the cold feel of a business center.
People come to Plaine Images for the architecture—this mix of red brick and modern structures is amazing—but also for the atmosphere. You might run into teams from Ankama (creators of Dofus and Wakfu) grabbing coffee, or attend virtual reality tests at l’Imaginarium. It’s a place that lives, works, and often opens to the public for exhibitions or events about digital culture.
The insider tip: Go at lunchtime. The site is open, you can wander between buildings, and the courtyard restaurants are perfect for catching the place’s energy.
Must-see:L’Imaginarium. It’s the site’s iconic building. There’s always something curious to discover, whether it’s a conference or a tech demo.
What to do around Tourcoing? Exploring the extended makers'side
An exterior staircase in yellow bricks at the Villa Cavrois in Croix, with sober geometric lines integrated into the garden.Roubaix
Everyone knows La Piscine and its incredible setting, but Roubaix is also an entire ecosystem of creators working with materials, textiles, and design just steps from the Condition Publique. It’s the natural extension of your Tourcoing walk.
Don’t miss out: For all of Roubaix’s best-kept secrets (street art, designer shops, and one-of-a-kind places), head over to our guide on discovering Roubaix differently.
Croix
Just minutes from Tourcoing, Croix is synonymous with elegance and exceptional heritage. Come to admire the Villa Cavrois, Robert Mallet-Stevens’ masterpiece. Built in 1932 for industrialist Paul Cavrois and restored by the Centre des monuments nationaux, it stands out for its spectacular volumes, integrated furniture, and geometric gardens.
Croix also charms with its tree-lined residential neighborhoods, parks, and peaceful perspectives: a soothing contrast to the neighboring cities’ bustle. It’s a gentle stop, perfect for completing a day visiting Roubaix.
Between nature, heritage and urban escapades
Just minutes from Tourcoing several towns offer great outing ideas:
Marcq-en-Barœul, La Madeleine, and Wasquehal charm with their walks along the Marque River, elegant little streets, cafés, and nature or sports trails.
More discreet, Lannoy, Lys-lez-Lannoy, and Leers reveal understated heritage, traces of textile history, and walking paths perfect for a green break.
Around Toufflers and Mouvaux, the atmosphere is peaceful, conducive to gentle hikes, bike paths, and family outings.
Further north, Roncq and Neuville-en-Ferrain blend natural spaces, restaurants, and direct access to Belgium for a cross-border escape.
Finally, Mons-en-Barœul houses a major heritage site: Fort de Mons, a 19th-century historic location hosting visits, activities, and cultural events—a must-see stop to complete your exploration of the metropolis.
