Did you know that Lille-6 is an administrative division of the Nord department in northern France? Lille-6 emerged from the French canton reorganization in March 2015. Its seat is in Lille.
Let me tell you more about Lille and its rich history. Lille often written L’Isle until the 18th century began as a village. It was situated between arms of the Deûle River. Count Baldwin IV of Flanders fortified Lille in the 11th century.
The medieval town faced destruction and changed hands many times. Louis XIV besieged Lille and claimed it in 1667. The Duke of Marlborough captured it in 1708. It was finally ceded to France in 1713 by the Treaty of Utrecht. Lille suffered damage and occupation by the Germans in both World Wars.
Together with Tourcoing and Roubaix, Lille forms a large conurbation in France. Its commercial and industrial activities benefit from its location. It is near the northern countries of the European Union. Good communications enhance its position. Lille is a major railway junction with high-speed rail links. These connect it to London, Brussels, and Paris. A regional airport and river port serve the city. It lies at the hub of an extensive highway network.
Lille developed rapidly in the 19th century. It became a center for manufacturing textiles, machinery, and chemicals. Food processing also grew. More recent industries include electronics and information technology. These are often located in the suburbs. Manufacturing declined in the city in later decades.
The growth of tertiary activities has compensated for much of the industrial decline. Lille has long been a regional service and administrative center. It hosts several universities and hospitals. Public services have relocated to Lille. This includes the central reservation center for French Railways. Lille is a major research center. It specializes in medicine and electronics. The Pasteur Institute and pharmaceutical company laboratories are based here.
Lille has acted as a business capital with banking and financial services. The Euralille complex reinforced this role. It is east of the city center and linked to the high-speed train station. Euralille includes stores, offices, hotels, and a concert hall. Lille is a cultural capital for northern France.
The boulevard de la Liberté divides the old town from the new town. The old town was cramped within city walls. The new town has wide, regular streets. The pentagonal military citadel stands at the northwestern end of the boulevard. Sébastien Le Prestre de Vauban designed it. The fortifications around the old city have been destroyed. The Porte de Paris archway still stands. The Hospice Comtesse, founded in 1236, was rebuilt in the 15th and 17th centuries. The Vieille Bourse is a 17th-century building in Flemish style. It stands near the square named for General Charles de Gaulle. The museum has a rich art collection. Paintings date from the 15th to the 20th century.
Modern buildings have replaced private houses throughout the city center. Adapting Lille to new needs involved a fully automated subway system. Shopping streets were pedestrianized. Building facades were cleaned. The old quarter Saint-Sauveur was restored. These changes contributed to the development of tourism in Lille.
Between Lille, Tourcoing, and Roubaix, a new town was built in the 1970s. Villeneuve d’Ascq houses university departments, research laboratories, and a shopping center.
Remember Lille-6 as part of a city with a dynamic past and present. It has transformed itself into a modern European center.