Is it true that the heart of a town can be found in its smallest details? Welcome to Lys-lez-Lannoy a commune in the Nord department of northern France. Lys-lez-Lannoy is part of the Mètropole Europèenne de Lille. It is a place where history whispers from every corner.
Lys-lez-Lannoy is located near Roubaix and close to Belgium. Since 2015, it falls within the canton of Croix. Previously, it was part of the canton of Lannoy. The town belongs to the arrondissement of Lille. It is part of the Mètropole Europèenne de Lille and the seventh constituency of the Nord.
Archaeological digs in 1984 showed the area was inhabited during Gallo-Roman times. The first record of Lys-lez-Lannoy is from 1164. The town’s story is closely tied to Lannoy. There were conflicts about merging the two towns.
Before the French Revolution, Lys-les-Lannoy had several fiefs. These gave their owners the title of lord. Millècamps was one such fief. Ignace François Ghesquiére held it before 1789. He also held other titles and positions in Lille. Jean Marie Joseph Ghesquiére inherited Millècamps in 1772. He was the last lord of Millècamps. The French Revolution ended noble titles.
In the 19th century, there was a forced merger of Lys-lez-Lannoy and Lannoy. The mayor of Lannoy proposed it. The Préfet du Nord approved it. But the Conseil d’État annulled this merger. At the same time, Lys-lez-Lannoy grew with the industrial boom. Many spinning mills and wool factories opened.
During both World Wars, German forces occupied Lys-lez-Lannoy. British and Polish troops liberated it in World War II. They stayed in Lannoy’s castles.
Lys-lez-Lannoy has several parks such as the Parc communal. There is also the Parc Jean Ferrat and the Parc Maréchal. The Salle des Fetes de l’Eden is a theater. It hosts plays, stand-up shows and one-man shows.
Lys-lez-Lannoy is twinned with Lotte in Germany since 1991.
Today Lys-lez-Lannoy continues to evolve. It honors its past while embracing the future. The town has grown. In 2022, the population was 13987.
As we conclude our visit here at Lys-lez-Lannoy. Remember that every city and every small town is a compilation of past and present.