Lille, France (Point of interest)

Situated in the leafy Villeneuve d'Ascq park on the outskirts of Lille, the Lille Métropole Museum of Modern Art houses an extensive and varied collection of 20th-century and modern art. Works originate from various donations, including the Masure... Continue reading →

Lille Old Town stretches from Grand' Place to the ramparts at Porte de Gand and the Citadelle on the town outskirts. Its 16th- and 17th-century Flemish houses wind around the 19th-century cathedral, finished with a shock modern façade in 1999. Th... Continue reading →

Lille Zoo is the best freebie in town. Set in the grounds of the Vauban's impressive Citadelle, Lille's most popular attraction clocks up 1.2 million visitors annually, who flock to see the rhinos, zebra, snakes and snow panthers. All for free!... Continue reading →

Lille's Cathédrale Notre-Dame de la Treille started life as the church of St Pierre. Having been partially destroyed in the Revolution, many attempts were made to rebuild it. The city finally managed it 1999, in time to see the millennium. Origin... Continue reading →

On maps, Lille's central square is listed as Place Général de Gaulle. Locals know it as Grand' Place, the historic hub of the city, home to every public celebration in town. Its friendly brasseries and cafes are perfect for people-watching. The ... Continue reading →

La Piscine - Museum of Art & Industry is a unique and magical art space set within a renovated 1920s swimming pool. Beaux arts cluster around the original pool and exhibits nestle in former changing rooms. Works housed in the former shower cubicle... Continue reading →

Among the most inventive redevelopment projects in Lille's 2004 European city of culture programme was the transformation of neglected buildings into cultural spaces - the "Maisons Folies". The biggest such project was arts centre Maison Folie Waze... Continue reading →

Housed in a superb 19th-century building, Lille's Palais des Beaux-Arts is second only to Paris' Louvre. The impressive collection of European art (the result of Napoleonic looting) includes Rubens and Rembrandt while spacious galleries are dedicat... Continue reading →