“Artois,” a name whispered on the wind, a name etched in the very stones beneath our feet. We are standing on Rue d’Artois in Lille. This seemingly ordinary street holds a fascinating past.
Rue d’Artois stretches out before us a perfectly straight line. It links the Saint-Michel church on Philippe Lebon Square to the Arras gate on Jacques Febvrier Square. Notice how the atmosphere shifts as we walk. North of here is Wazemmes. To the south once we cross Victor Hugo Boulevard is the Moulins district.
Let’s journey back to 1862. This is when Rue d’Artois was born. It was created alongside Rue Nicolas Leblanc. This followed Lille’s seventh and final expansion in 1858. The expansion gradually removed the city’s ramparts. Before this street existed there were only fields and windmills here. Rue d’Artois was designed to ease traffic on Rue de Paris. Back then Rue de Paris passed through one of the city’s main gates.
Rue d’Artois has always been primarily residential. Look around at the individual houses. Their architecture is characteristic of Lille in the 1860s and 1870s. They represent a modern style of that era.
This street stretches for one kilometer. Its name comes from Artois. Artois is an old province in northern France corresponding to the Pas-de-Calais department. Arras was its capital. Rue d’Artois is simply the road leading to the Arras Gate. From there the road to Arras began.
Here’s a little tidbit for you. Until 1872 this street was called Rue Nicolas Leblanc. The name changed when Saint-Michel church was built on Philippe Lebon Square in 1874. Look down the street. You can see the back of the Saint-Michel church from here.
Imagine this street in 1930. A tram ran along its entire length via line L. Today you will find shops. Consider Los 3 Compadres, Au Poil Chic, Hair Furious and Le Fontenoy. You can also visit Le Napoli, Quelque Part Records, Musicalille and Au Comte d’Artois. Do not forget La Table de Sam, K-Market, L’imposture or Le Niagara.
Now picture the area before 1862. Fields and windmills replaced the houses we see today. Rue d’Artois wasn’t yet a reality. So next time you stroll along Rue d’Artois remember its evolution. From fields to a vital thoroughfare. From Rue Nicolas Leblanc to Rue d’Artois. This street tells a silent story of Lille’s growth.