Lille will  surprise you with its many different faces. It is the proud possessor of an exceptional heritage. Its XVIIth century Flemish architecture brightens the city with the sparkling colours of its exuberant decor. The façades of the houses in Old Lille bestow a special charm on the heart of the city, which has over the centuries preserved its authentic character.

It is indeed an astonishing city, a bridgehead spanning the Middle Ages and the urban landscape of the XXth century (Euralille and the Tower of the Crédit Lyonnais), a tasteful marriage of buildings from the past and the architecture of modernism.  In the old city, the ancient houses with their carved and coloured façades are an opportunity to learn something of the architecture of the past as well as an invitation to enjoy a leisurely stroll. The XVIIth century citadel designed by Vauban is part of the city's military past and is in the form of a 5-pointed star set in greenery by the city gates

Lille also offers opportunities to enjoy its own gourmet delights in the form of potjevleesch and white beer brewed with wheat, not to mention its famous filled waffles rolled in brown sugar.

Greater Lille, the fourth largest metropolis in France with a population of more than a million, is a area of entrancing contrasts, from the historic heart of the city to the glass-clad towers of the new Euralille quarter. It  is also 85 municipalities, 1,100,000 inhabitants, 340 research laboratories, a recently-constructed 70-hectare business area and 100,000 students.

Lille is certainly an important incubator for the future and offers its residents a vibrant and flourishing cultural life.