“Roubaix shows its heart here.” Have you ever wondered about the stories these stones could tell?
We are standing before the Courées Dubar et Dekien. These are more than just old houses. They represent a vital piece of Roubaix’s economic and social history.
In the 19th century, Roubaix exploded industrially. Textile work was booming. The Courées Dubar et Dekien offered a solution. These houses provided affordable housing for local and foreign workers. They show how people lived back then.
Courées are rows of attached houses. This type of housing grew rapidly in a century. Few intact examples remain today. The Courées Dubar et Dekien were originally independent. They consist of two rows of houses. These homes face each other across a strip of land.
Two types of houses stand side-by-side here. Some have a rural look and date back to the 1840s. Others are newer dating to around 1880. The Courées Dubar et Dekien are rare survivors. They are important to Roubaix’s economic and social history.
Life in the Courées wasn’t easy. Many courées had only one water source. Outdoor toilet facilities were shared. Houses were poorly insulated. They were often damp and unhealthy.
Despite the hardships, the courées fostered community. People formed intense bonds of solidarity. They became places of social interaction.
The term “courée” became common in the 20th century. Before that, people used other terms. “Cour” was the most common official name. Some called them “forts” or “cités.”
A 1954 survey described Lille’s courées. Houses had only two rooms with light on one side. There were no dependencies or corridors. The single room on the ground floor served many purposes. It was a dining room, kitchen and washroom. A steep staircase led to the bedroom. Parents and children slept together there.
The first mention of courées was in Lille. An ordinance worried about the spread of “cours à sacq” dead-end streets. These areas were seen as sources of epidemics.
Roubaix’s courées grew until 1914. They housed nearly half the city’s population. After that, this type of housing declined. Many were demolished in the late 20th century.
The Courées Dubar et Dekien stand as a reminder. They remind us of the lives of textile workers. They show us the heritage of their living conditions.
The Courées Dubar et Dekien were once separated. A central wall divided them. Collective buildings leaned against this wall. The Dubar courtyard has houses from two periods. The older ones date to around 1840. These are low houses with “otil” space in the attic. The newer houses are from the 1880s. They are taller with one floor and an attic. All houses have similar layouts. A door and windows lead to the kitchen. A straight staircase goes to the single room upstairs.
The Courées Dubar et Dekien are symbols of Roubaix. They were listed on the Supplementary Inventory of Historic Monuments in 1998. The Lille urban community owns them. They plan to turn them into a village for artists.
As you explore the Courées Dubar et Dekien, consider the past. Imagine the lives of those who lived here. Their stories are etched into these walls. They are a testament to the resilience of the working class.