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Born out of the water around 1000 AD

The first written evidence of the existence of the town of Lille may be found in a charter dating back to 1066 in which Baudouin V, Count of Flanders, endowed the Sainte-Pierre collegiate church. In this document the town is called Isla, from the Latin insula literally meaning island. In fact, Lille was born out of the water of the Deûle river, a slow-flowing tributary situated on a major route between the great Flemish towns and the Champagne fairs. The town initially developed at a transhipment point on the Deûle, which required boats to be unloaded until they reached a more navigable section of the river. The town’s origins were therefore as a port, which preceded its role as a merchant town.

Through a succession of political marriages, Lille shared the existence of several dynasties without violence.

A Flemish city . . .

Lille was initially the possession of the powerful Counts of Flanders and was coveted by the Kings of France. After the battle of Bouvines (1214), during which her husband Ferrand de Portugal was taken prisoner, Countess Jeanne of Flanders governed alone and made Lille her primary residence.

becomes Burgundian . . .

Lille becomes French in 1667

But the main break in Lille’s history came in 1667, when the town was conquered by Louis XIV in the midst of the War of Devolution.

The look of the town changed drastically with the introduction of the classical French style. From 1667 to 1670, the architect Vauban set about building “the queen of citadels”. From 1670 on, a new district began to take form : the ‘quartier Royal’, which was remarkable for the regularity of its road layout. Nobles and dignitaries chose this neighbourhood to build their sumptuous private mansions. Renovation also spread to the old part of the city where the City Council ensured the coherence of building styles. This was how the rows of almost identical houses were constructed, combining the French style of the period with local architectural traditions.

During the War of Succession with Spain, Lille was conquered by the Dutch and became French once and for all in 1713 with the signing of the Treaty of Utrecht.

An industrial power in the 19th century . . .

The Revolution saw the rise to power of a liberal, dynamic and entrepreneurial middle class. Under their momentum, Lille became a great industrial power in the 19th century, its main pillars being metalwork, chemistry and, above all, textiles (cotton and linen).

In 1858, at the height of its industrial expansion, the town underwent major growth. By annexing the neighbouring communes of Wazemmes, Esquermes, Moulins and Fives, Lille tripled its surface area and doubled its population. Large avenues and vast squares were laid out in the Haussmann style and were the setting for imposing monuments such as the Prefecture, the Palais des Beaux-Arts and the universities.

Today, a cultural capital at the crossroads of Europe

The industrial crisis that began in the 1970’s hit the town in the 80’s. Every sector of activity was affected, beginning with the textile industry.  Unemployment went from 3% in 1975 to 13% in 1990.

Lille entered a period of restructuring based on the development of the service sector. The city of factories and workshops was replaced by one of offices and services and, in a certain way, appears to have rediscovered its medieval role as a merchant city.

The Lille-Paris TGV link in 1993, as well as the creation of the new Euralille district and the arrival of Eurostar in 1994, have allowed the city to enter the third millennium with confidence.

France’s fourth largest metropolitan area, an international crossroads and a dynamic financial centre, Lille is also an artistic and historic city. In 2004, it was designated as a European Culture Capital. Since then, Lille has become an important tourist destination, recognised for its welcoming living environment, well-preserved heritage and active cultural life.