During the Siege of Lille in 1667 Louis XIV himself stayed at a farm on Rue de Lannoy. It’s hard to imagine isn’t it? The king of France in a simple farmhouse.
Rue de Lannoy a historic street in Lille’s Fives neighbourhood. It’s a long street connecting Rue Pierre-Legrand to Rue Jacquard in Hellemmes. Its history stretches back to the Middle Ages. It was then known as the Chaussée de Lannoy a main road leading to the village of Lannoy. This direct route however was broken in the 1970s during the development of Villeneuve-d’Ascq.
That farmhouse where Louis XIV stayed played a crucial role. It’s where the city’s magistrates met the king. There the act of capitulation was signed ending the siege. Sadly the farm was demolished around 1920. However its memory lives on. You can find evidence of the street’s age in an old rural house on the corner of Rue Pierre-Legrand. Most houses are brick buildings one or two stories high. They are from the second half of the 19th and early 20th centuries a blend of vernacular and eclectic styles. There are few newer buildings. The street remains mostly residential with little commercial activity.
Interestingly the inscription “French Customs” on a building at the corner of Rue Pierre-Legrand points to a former tax office. The Fives metro station now stands near that spot. Today Rue de Lannoy is a vibrant reminder of Lille’s layered past. It’s a quiet residential street yet it holds the echoes of powerful historical events. It still holds the quiet charm of its earlier life. As you walk down Rue de Lannoy remember the kings the farmers and all the stories whispered along its cobblestones for centuries.