“Ever get the feeling you are being watched?” That’s how some describe the experience of visiting Parc Henri Matisse. This eight-hectare public garden in Lille offers a unique blend of nature and urban design. It sits nestled in the Euralille district between Porte de Roubaix and the Lille-Europe station.
Parc Henri Matisse was created between 1996 and 2003. This was during the first phase of the Euralille construction. It occupies a space next to the Porte de Roubaix and the former Souham barracks. The area had been a part of Lille’s fortifications, which were decommissioned in 1919.
The park’s design comes from Gilles Clément. He is a landscape architect. Clément applied his concept of the “Third Landscape” here. This concept values spaces outside cultivation or direct human use. These spaces are often important for biodiversity.
Before the park, a road connected Rue de Roubaix to Rue du Faubourg-de-Roubaix. It passed through Porte de Roubaix. The road closed to motorized traffic when the park was created. However, pedestrians can still use the path. From 1876 to 1956, tram line F ran here. You can still see the tracks as you exit the gate. Another road, an extension of Rue du Vieux Faubourg, disappeared too. Tram line 2 also ran on a third road. Today, the “allée du petit Mongy” recalls this tram line.
Parc Henri Matisse features four distinct areas. There is a large lawn known as the “grande prairie du boulingrin”. Then, there is the Île Derborence. This inaccessible forest of 2,500 square meters was created in 1995. It sits atop a seven-meter-high base. This base is made of rubble from the Lille-Europe station construction.
The shape of Île Derborence mirrors the Île des Antipodes in the Pacific Ocean. Its name comes from the forest bordering Lake Derborence in Switzerland. When created, the island was planted with trees from the Northern Hemisphere. It has since been left to evolve naturally, untouched by humans.
The Bois des Transparences is another area. It features pyrophytes, heather, and bamboo. Lastly, there is the sunken garden. This garden is located in the old fortifications’ moats.
The island is surrounded by a semi-wild landscape. This area contrasts the open lawn to the south. Some say Île Derborence’s purpose is more symbolic than ecological. Yet, a rare beetle has been spotted there. It is possible that the island sustains urban wildlife.
During the Euro 2016 football championship, Parc Henri Matisse hosted a fan zone. It could accommodate 25,000 people. The park connects the business district with old Lille. You can even see a statue of François Mitterrand near the train station entrance. Parc Henri Matisse offers a refreshing green space. It is a place where nature and urban life meet.