Avenue de Dunkerque

In 1872, Avenue de Dunkerque received its current name. But its story begins much earlier. Avenue de Dunkerque stretches over three communes: Lille, Lambersart, and Lomme. The avenue largely follows the path of the old road from Dunkirk to Lille. This historic route was already documented in the 12th century. Imagine traveling this road centuries ago. Before Lille’s expansion in 1858, the road, or Rue de Dunkerque, began at the now-vanished Porte de la Barre. It roughly followed the route of present-day Avenue Léon Jouhaux, Rue d’Armentières, Avenue de l’architecte Cordonnier, and Avenue Marx Dormoy. It then joined what is now known as Avenue de Dunkerque. The avenue’s history is intertwined with Lille’s growth. The construction of the city walls in the 1860s, their dismantling in the 1920s, and the construction of the river port in the 1950s all reshaped Avenue de Dunkerque. The avenue extended to Place Leroux-de-Fauquemont, following the path of the former Rue Lequeux. The historic section, partially preserved, has been called Avenue Marx Dormoy since 1958. Avenue de Dunkerque is an impressive 5.1 kilometers long. It stretches from the crossroads of the Port de Lille to the end of the Lomme district. Eight metro stations on Line 2 run along this avenue. For 1.4 kilometers, one sidewalk of Avenue de Dunkerque lies within Lambersart, while the other belongs to Lille. Originally, Avenue de Dunkerque started near the Citadel from the old Port Vauban and Porte de Dunkerque. Known as “La Grande Route,” it has always been a significant thoroughfare.