Formerly known as the La Piscine-Musée d'Art et d'Industrie André Diligent, La Piscine de Roubaix derives its name from the building it is housed in, which was once an indoor swimming pool. The museum retains most of the original decor, with changes made to the entrance and an added garden and exhibition space. Dedicated to contemporary and industrial art with a special allocation for sculptures, the museum features some of the greatest works by renowned artists from around the world.
The Vieille Bourse (Old Stock Exchange), built in 1653, has been fully renovated and is one of the most beautiful buildings in Lille. Originally built in Flemish baroque architecture to serve as a symbol of the market town of Lille, it now encompasses a secondhand bookstore and flower shops. As you wander through this enchanting building, you'll find many old books of all genres: novels, scientific books, textbooks, graphic novels, post cards, etc. This place is unique, thanks to both its site and to its incredible variety of ancient works on sale, and so it provides the perfect backdrop for a trip into the past. A real gem!
Vieux Lille or Old Town is located in the north of the city. It is a well known tourist destination and contains many famous buildings dating back to the 17th Century. The buildings comprise of brick and stone. Walk past the structures here and take in their architectural brilliance one at a time. Many food outlets, bars and restaurants are located in the vicinity.
Lille's first Opera House, built in 1875 by Michel Lequeux, a native of Lille, was destroyed by fire in 1903. To replace the neoclassicism of the destroyed edifice, Cordonnier suggested a style that was decidedly Louis XVI, with an interior decoration as sumptuous as its outward appearance. The building was inaugurated in 1923, with Massenet, Lalo and Bizet on the program. Notice the high contours at the summit of the building depicting Apollo and his Muses, by Hippolyte Lefébvre, an allegory of Music, one of Alphonse Cordonnier's works on the left. On the other side, enjoy tragedy by the sculptor Lemaire.
Each and every small commune and town in France is filled with castles, wine estates and art museums and Villeneuve-D'Ascq is no exception to this. The Musée d'Art Moderne Lille Métropole also known as Musée d'Art moderne de Villeneuve-d'Ascq is an important museum of this commune. Set-up in 1983, it houses artworks of great and renowned artists like Picasso and Calder. It also comprises collections donated by Roger Dutilleul and Jean Masurel. You can check the works of artists from different eras, each representing a particular art movement.
Built under Napoleon I in the beginning of the 19th Century, the Palais des Beaux Arts de Lille is both, one of the oldest art museums in France, as well as one of its largest. Works seized from churches and territories in Revolutionary France were sent to this museum to promote the popularization of art. The museum was renovated in the early 1990s and expanded to cover over 22,000 square meters (236,806.03 square feet). The museum's fine art collection is one of the best in the country, featuring such masters as Rembrandt, Goya, Rodin and Delacroix, delighting art-lovers from all over the world. The museum building itself, is an arresting sight and a fitting home to the cultural treasure it houses. The museum also hosts a variety of events that can generally be attended by the public.
Based on the ideas of Francoies Dolto, a 20th century doctor and psychologist, Petite Maison allows parents and children (up to 4 years old) to interact. Its activities are focused on helping your children to socialized in our complicated world. Exercises are done in a supportive and friendly atmosphere with special care and attention paid to confidentiality.
High, slender belfries were built in the Middle Ages in north-eastern France and Belgium as a sign of prosperity and civic power. Between the 11th and 17th centuries towers were constructed in the most varied styles of architecture, such as Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque. They were usually attached to the Town Hall and housed the municipal treasury, a prison or the state archives. Together they represent a period in which the influence of the towns and the independence of their citizens were increasing.
"Sleep my little lamb, my darling , my love, you'll upset me if you don't sleep right up until tomorrow!" At the entrance to the square Foch a mother sings a lullaby to her child, trying to get him to sleep. This child is none other than the most famous child in Lille, the P'tit Quinquin! The statue, created by Eugène Deplechin, depicts the Hymn of the natives of Lille, a song written in 1953 by Alexandre Desrousseaux, a lullaby that symbolizes the poverty of the working-class population of Lille!