| The city of Lille, which was built on | | | | the end of the rue de la Monnaie, where |
| the Deule River, and was first founded | | | | the locals say the fruit is better |
| in 1066, during the Medieval ages. In | | | | quality. |
| the 19th Century, the city Lille became | | | | The city has over 100,000 students to |
| a large industrial city, and the | | | | keep the night life vibrant, although |
| population tripled in a short time. | | | | one of the nice things about Lille night |
| Lille was taken by the Germans in May | | | | life is that different age groups mix. |
| 1940, after brief resistance by a | | | | Beer is the drink of choice, and almost |
| Moroccan Infantry division. On September | | | | every beer has a glass to match. The |
| 3rd 1944 the German troops began to | | | | student hang-outs lining the rues |
| leave Lille, fearing the British, who | | | | Massena and Solferino. If you want a |
| were on their way from Brussels. | | | | quite night the best night spots are in |
| Following this, the Lille resistance | | | | cosy bars in Vieux Lille. |
| managed to retake part of the city | | | | The Hospice Comtesse Museum is located |
| before the British tanks arrived. | | | | in the heart of Lille's old town. |
| Lille was once known as "the Manchester | | | | Founded in 1237 by Joan of |
| of France" but the old textile mills and | | | | Constantinople, Countess of Flanders for |
| dirty heavy industry have now gone, | | | | the ailing inhabitants of Lille, the |
| driven out of business in the second | | | | rambling edifice is a maze of rooms |
| half of the 20th century by lower cost | | | | where old wards follow on to a chapel |
| foreign producers. | | | | and a nunnery. |
| The city is a haven for shoppers. | | | | On the out skirts the Museum of Modern |
| Euralille Avenue Le Courbusier was | | | | Art houses an extensive and varied |
| opened with the channel tunnel in 1994, | | | | collection of 20th-century and modern |
| this impressive business and leisure | | | | art originating from various donations, |
| development houses over 140 shops, hotel | | | | including the Aracine and Masurel |
| and apartments on street level, a | | | | collections. The museum has also |
| Carrefour hypermarket, a roller blading | | | | developed a strong collection of |
| venue in the basement and in one of the | | | | contemporary art focusing on Lyrical |
| tower blocks is Aeronef, music venue and | | | | Abstraction and Narrative Figuration, |
| a nightclub. | | | | with works by Daniel Buren, Martin |
| High-street brands line the pedestrians | | | | Barre, Jean-Pierre Bertrand, Gerard |
| streets in Central Lille. Sunday is | | | | Gasiorowski and Claude Rutault. In 1995 |
| market day. The biggest is at Wazemmes | | | | the museum received a substantial |
| but there's another one in Old Lille, at | | | | donation of art brut from L'Aracine. |