Situated a few hours from Brussels, Cologne, The Hague, London (via the Channel Tunnel) and Paris, the towns of Villeneuve d'Ascq and Lille are at the heart of a great European region: the Nord-Pas-de-Calais.
Dynamic and modern, with a million inhabitants, the metropolitan area of Lille has experienced an unprecedented expansion in the area of business and commercial exchange. The new TGV train station and the international business centre, Euralille, bear witness to this growth.
Lille, the capital of Flandres, has a rich architectural and artistic heritage. Here you will find Flemish baroque architecture, the Spanish style multicoloured facades of the old town, the classicism of the 18th Century residences, and the industrial architecture of the 19th Century at Euralille.
Museums, music, dance, theatre, opera : more than 500 exhibitions throughout the year attract those who are passionate about the arts and lovers of la Fete, events such as The Festival of Giants in June, or the famous Braderie de Lille which welcomes more than two million visitors each September. Lille also has one of France's most beautiful national museums, the Musee des Beaux Arts, France's second museum after the Louvre.
The region is home to the headquarters of many large businesses and famous distributution groups such as Auchan, Decathlon, Boulanger, and the automobile manufacturers Renault and Peugeot.
Whether you are into techno, rock, jazz, or romantic, the nightlife of Lille has some pleasant surprises in store for you in the bars and discotheques of the old town or the quartier des halles, a favourite meeting place of Lille's student population.
