Lille is a city in the northern part of France, within French Flanders. Positioned along the Deûle River, near France's border with Belgium, it is the capital of the Hauts-de-France region, the prefecture of the Nord department, and the main city of the European Metropolis of Lille. Its metropolis is the fourth largest in France, following Paris, Marseille, and Lyon, with a population of over 1 million.
As the capital of the Hauts-de-France region and a City of Art and History, Lille offers a remarkable architectural and cultural heritage. The old town is particularly charming for wandering, featuring many monuments, Flemish facades, and pleasant pedestrian streets.
The Vieille Bourse building, overlooking the famous Grand Place square, is a magnificent monument of Flemish Baroque style dating back to the 17th century. This treasure of Vieux-Lille (Old Lille) consists of 24 houses surrounding a charming inner courtyard where secondhand booksellers, florists, and chess players gather.
The very lively Grand Place square, in the middle of which rises the Déesse column, is surrounded by beautiful buildings. Other places of interest to explore include the Rihour Palace, a 15th-century Gothic building that today houses the tourist centre; Place du Théâtre square with the opera house and the Chamber of Commerce & Belfry; streets lined with period homes and mansions; the Hospice Comtesse museum; the Palace of Fine Art; and the Vauban citadel known as the "queen of citadels."
A must-see, the Palace of Fine Art is the second museum in France after the Louvre for the richness of its painting, sculpture, drawing, and ceramic collections.