Discover the charms of Villeneuve-d'Ascq, Nord-Pas-de-Calais

ArrayYour Experience Explore the architectural manifesto that is the Villa Cavrois, designed by architect and figure of the modernist current, Robert Mallet-Stevens. This emblematic piece of his work was built for a textile manufacturer, Paul Cavrois, and his family in the early 1930s. This villa was dubbed a historic monument in 1990, and the restoration program began well into the early 200s. What makes it so appealing is its imposing proportions, the separation of two symmetrical wings, the lack of ornamental decor in the villa, and the escalation of the rooftop terraces. Not to mention, the modern touch post-renovation that included central heating, elevators, and the use of new industrial materials and techniques. You will explore the vast living area, the intriguing façades, the stunning terrace, and of course, the 72-meter-long water mirror, reflecting the beauty of Villa Cavrois quite nicely!

Discover Lille on a beer-themed paper chase and walk around its streets looking for clues! FIND OUT ABOUT ALL OF LILLE'S SECRETS ON A FUN BEER TASTING DETECTIVE GAME! The aim of the game is to find the stein of Gambrinus, prince of beer, which was lost somewhere in the city... Start by picking up your road book, then you'll be ready to start searching for the missing chalice! To complete your quest, you will follow a trail around Lille's streets and squares looking for clues to help you solve the enigma. Several key clues can be found in certain of the city's bars. You'll have the pleasure of tasting 4 exceptional beers in 4 of Lille's best bars, chosen specially for the game. Your search will progress thanks to the clues hidden along the way. You'll need to look in all directions, including in natural spots and even in the taste of your beer! Choose this fun, pleasant and delicious tour of Lille! Good luck! Alcohol abuse is bad for your health. Please consume in moderation 

Discover the city of Lille on this bus tour! Relax and explore every single part of the city! EXPLORE THE STREETS OF LILLE BY BUS AND ADMIRE THE CITY'S MONUMENTS! Embark on a 50-minute bus tour of Lille aboard a comfortably open-top bus (in summer)! Audio guides provide informative commentary throughout the tour, in the language of your choice (French, English, German, Dutch, Spanish, Italian, Chinese, Japanese and Russian). As you travel, you can enjoy a scenic view of the city's key monuments, from the ancient to the modern neighbourhoods. The itinerary includes the following sites: * Palais Rihour (tourist information office, first and last stop) * Grand Place * Rue Faidherbe * Quartier des Gares * Euralille * Quartier Royal * Lille Old Town * Îlot Comtesse * Porte de Paris * The City Hall belfry * The Saint-Sauveur neighbourhood * Place de la République and the surrounding district (Palais des Beaux-Arts, Préfecture...) Choose the Lille bus tour to discover the city's major landmarks and points of interest, supplemented with audio-guide commentary!

The best of Lille thanks to the City Pass! Enjoy free access to many museums and attractions as well as unlimited transport! Thanks to the Lille Pass, experience all the ferment of the city in one single offer! Find out about all of Lille's secrets! Enjoy free access to 25 museums, sites, and tourist services in the Lille metropolitan area. With the 72-hour pass, you will also have free access to 14 museums, sites and tourist services in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region and a free access to the TER regional train network (operated by the SNCF) for 24 consecutive hours. You will have unlimited access to metropolitan Transpole public transport (underground, buses, tram) during the selected period. You will also get preferential prices on shopping and dining venues (you will receive the list in the Lille and Roubaix tourist information offices). Choose the Lille pass for the duration of your choice and make the most of your stay in Lille!

Discover Lille's old town on a 2-hour walking tour. Walk along the streets and squares, and marvel at the beauty of its architecture! SEE THE HIGHLIGHTS OF LILLE'S OLD TOWN ON THIS GUIDED TOUR! With your guide, discover the old neighbourhoods of the city and feel the charm of this bustling and welcoming city. Lille still features buildings from different influences: the Palais Rihour, the Vieille Bourse, the Rang du Beauregard and the Cathedral. After this tour revealing the city's different architectural styles, your tour will end with a visit to the Hospice Comtesse, an iconic monument combining many accounts of the city's history such as earthenware, sculptures, paintings and furniture. Choose this guided tour of Lille's old town and discover the city's highlights!

Discover one of Lille's highlights on a walking audioguided tour by the belfry of Lille's City Hall, and climb on top of its 104-metre-high tower to enjoy a breathtaking view of Lille! Visit the belfry of Lille's City Hall on this audioguided tour! This visit will grant you the opportunity to find out about this 104-metre-high UNESCO World Heritage Site towering over Lille, whose construction ended in 1931. You will be equipped with a pair of binoculars and an audioguide, and enjoy an ideal viewpoint to look at the city and its surroundings. Choose this guided tour to discover the belfry of Lille's City Hall and tower over the city to enjoy a breathtaking scenic view!

A wonderful place to stay thanks to its numerous facilities. Its rooms are equipped with all mod cons and will delight you with their pleasant and invigorating setting.

Designed from 1929 onwards and completed in 1932, the Villa Cavrois is a family home, commissioned by a Roubaix textile industrialist Paul Cavrois and his wife from the architect Robert Mallet-Stevens, a figure of the modernist movement. Following a precise programme, this villa concentrates all the advanced technologies of the time and constitutes an aesthetic shock whose effects are still perceptible today. The interior of the Villa, entirely treated with luxurious materials such as marble, exotic wood, and polished aluminium, is fitted out with furniture designed by Mallet-Stevens, who also signed the landscape design of the park. The most modern techniques of the time were applied. When Madame Cavrois died in 1986, the furniture was dispersed and the Villa was sold in 1987. After a long period of abandonment and vandalism, the State became the owner of the Villa in 2001 and undertook a vast project of preservation and restoration, aiming to recover the original 1932 project. The programme implemented by the Centre des Monuments Nationaux since 2008, scheduled for completion in March 2015, aims to show the exceptional ambition of the architectural project intended by the Cavrois couple. Entry to Villa Cavrois is free for those under 26 years old. Tramway - Stop : Villa Cavrois SPECIAL CONDITIONS: Reservation required on the website www.villa-cavrois.fr.

Designed by architect Robert Mallet-Stevens between 1929 and 1932, the Villa Cavrois is considered a masterpiece of modernist Art Deco architecture. Occupied by the family until 1987, it suffered extensive damage between 1988 and 2001, despite being listed as a "Monument Historique" in the meantime. Acquired by the French government in 2001, it was donated to the Centre des Monuments Nationaux for restoration. Today, the public can visit this magnificent residence and its park in its original splendour. Classified as a Historic Monument in 1990 thanks to the efforts of the general public, and acquired by the State in 2001, the gigantic restoration project launched in 2003 by the DRAC Nord Pas-de-Calais and then taken over in 2008 by the Centre National des Monuments Historiques was completed in June 2015. Opening times:Tuesday to Sunday, 10am to 6pmClosed on Mondays and on 1 January, 1 May and 25 December. Access: Tramway direction Roubaix, stop "Villa Cavrois" + 10mn walkFree admission on the first Sunday of the month from November to March.

Located in Villeneuve d'Ascq, 20 minutes from Lille, the LaM Lille Métropole is a museum of modern art, contemporary art and art brut. A remarkable building designed by Roland Simounet and extended by Manuelle Gautrand, the LaM nestles in the heart of a park featuring works by Alexander Calder, Richard Deacon, Eugène Dodeigne, Jacques Lipchitz and Pablo Picasso. The museum is famous for its prestigious collection of modern art, including major works by Georges Braque, Fernand Léger, Joan Miró, Amedeo Modigliani, Pablo Picasso and Kees Van Dongen. The LaM also houses over 1,000 works of contemporary art. Admission: €10 / €7

It was here that around 1200, Gilbert de Bourghelles, the « châtelain » of Lille, built his fortified house. As a « châtelain », he was a territorial feudal agent, committed by the count to assert his prerogatives and more precisely the right of ban. Gilbert de Bourghelles was a local knight, who served the counts of Flanders and fought alongside Ferdinand of Portugal, during the Battle of Bouvines in 1214, against Philip Augustus, the King of France.Loyal and devoted counselor of the count of Flanders, the latter thanked him by dismembering his domain of Annappes to give him a part as a fief around 1200. Here, Gilbert de Bourghelles has undeniable assets. First of all, the marshes and the available water currents allowed him to build his defensive perimeter. The moat, as it is still visible today, surrounds the fortified house and gave a slight protection in case of attacks. This is also the case of the ditches that had been dug to drain the Annappes marshes that surrounded the mound. The path that bypasses the mound, and that you just took, follow the original layout of the old ditches.Far from being just a residence, the mound is also surrounded by its large agricultural estate. This is the farmyard, installed beyond the moat. Here, graze cattle and sheep needed for the manufacture of wool, the biggest part of Flanders’ economy. Therefore, we found in this farmyard the dwellings of the peasants, the stables, the sheepfold, etc. There is nothing left from the walls that previously made up the house, but we have an idea of what the Mound Quiquempois used to be thanks, to the archaeological researchs that were carried out from 1970.

Parc Barbieux is recognised as one of the most beautiful urban parks in France. Born out of the abandonment of an underground canal project in the second half of the 19th century, Parc Barbieux is a 34-hectare English-style garden in a remarkable setting of greenery and natural diversity. With 60 different species of trees and a number of lakes and ponds, the park is a wonderful place for wildlife, leisure and relaxation, with a children's playground and a petanque area. Affectionately known as "Le Beau Jardin" by the people of Roubaix, this listed site has been awarded the "Remarkable Garden" label.

With a surface area of 36 hectares, it is the largest of the Villeneuve lakes and is used for a variety of activities (sailing, boating, fishing, etc.). It is accompanied by a 110-hectare park, named after the shape of a heron taking flight. The lake's shoreline is a popular place for sunbathing and reading.

During the digging of the area that was to become the future "Lac du Château", archaeological teams uncovered the remains of a Gallo-Roman structure in 1972, and more precisely the remains of a "villa", that is to say a dwelling place but also and above all, the administrative center of an agricultural estate. The vestiges are rather poorly preserved, but it was nevertheless possible to reconstruct what looks like elements from the hypocaust, the floor heating system. At the south of the villa, a small necropolis was found and excavated which was dated from the 2nd century AD.

Once the world's textile capital, Roubaix has successfully converted its factories. Its swimming pool, built between 1927 and 1932 by Lille architect Albert Baert, is a veritable Art Deco masterpiece that has been transformed into a museum, a fine example of rehabilitation. Under the shouts of the bathers of yesteryear, this vast 11,000 m2 space welcomes visitors and offers them an exceptional collection of arts applied to industry, including fabrics, decorative arts, sculptures, paintings and drawings. The museum's main room, the swimming pool, is lit by stained glass windows symbolising the rising and setting sun. Human-sized statues in single file adorn the pool, which is still filled with water, and surround the old changing rooms, bathrooms and shower cubicles. Large-scale temporary exhibitions are organised throughout the year. The museum is open Tuesday to Thursday from 11am to 6pm, Friday from 11am to 8pm, Saturday and Sunday from 1pm to 6pm.Closed on Mondays and certain public holidays (01/01, 01/05, 14/07, 15/08, 01/11 and 25/12).The restaurant is open Tuesday to Sunday from 12pm to 5.30pm.

Former municipal swimming pool built by Albert Baert between 1927 and 1932 in an Art Deco style, rehabilitated as a museum in 2001 and enlarged in 2018 by Jean-Paul Philippon, La Piscine exhibits the richness of its collections of paintings, sculptures and applied arts in this place which was considered for more than fifty years as "the most beautiful swimming pool in France". Metro Line 2, stop: Gare Jean Lebas. - Roubaix. Open Tuesday to Thursday from 11am to 6pm, Friday from 11am to 8pm and weekends from 1pm to 6pm. Closed on Mondays and some public holidays.

Situated on the grounds of the former Craye weaving mill, which is specialized in upholstery fabrics dating back to 1900, the Manufacture stands as a museum-workshop dedicated to preserving the heritage of the textile industry in Roubaix and its vicinity. When you visit the Manufacture, your guide will take you on a journey through the remarkable history that transformed Roubaix and the surrounding area into one of the world's foremost textile centers. You will learn about the influential industrial families who built this empire, witness the evolution of working conditions over the years, explore the significant role played by immigrants in this adventure, and discover how the architectural landscape of an entire town was shaped as a result.

Meat specialities, stone-grilled fish and large salads. For more information, visit Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/adobolocowasquehal/ Site internet : https://www.adoboloco.fr/ Contact : 03 20 98 31 71

Just a few kilometres from Lille, this cocktail bar welcomes you every evening for a relaxing interlude to delight the senses. For more information, visit Website: https://www.highbar.fr/ Contact: 06 71 25 10 80

Bar with live music. For more information, visit Website: https://theblacklab.fr/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theblacklabmofo/?locale=fr_FR Contact: 03 20 89 81 10

Club house for runners. Fore more information, visit Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Owenslunch/ Contact: 07 84 21 63 09

Come and support the Brisish teams ! Brasserie for lunch. For more information, visit Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/Frederickspub/?locale=fr_FR Contact : 09 83 30 58 43

Bar and restaurant with a friendly atmosphere, serving home-cooked food made with fresh local produce. Terrace in summer. For more information, visit Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lescancanshem/ Contact: 03 20 35 82 65

Bistronomic cuisine combining tradition and modernity with fresh, local ingredients for tasty, refined dishes. For more information, visit Website: https://meetandwork-restaurant.fr/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/meetandworklille/ Contact: 03 20 89 20 98

Brasserie. For more information, visit Website : https://www.restaurant-labrasseriedulac.fr/ Contact : 07 88 91 22 15

Not far from a train station, the RBX - Roubaix Centre hotel is an excellent choice for a stay in Roubaix. For further information Contact: 03 20 70 19 20

Benefit from great Appart'hotels where you can stay in total freedom for a night or a weekend. For more information, visit Website : https://www.au-30.com/ Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/au30lille/ Contact : 06 51 70 20 52

This gîte is located in the former home of the farm’s cowman. You will be able to recharge your batteries in this green setting surrounded by animals (donkeys, chickens, sheep, fallow deer, goats...). Numerous hiking and cycling trails enable you to discover this region situated between two natural parks (Parc Naturel des Plaines de l'Escaut and Parc Naturel du Pays des Collines). You can also discover the architectural and cultural heritage of the cities of Tournai, Lille and Bruges. Activities such as pétanque and tennis are possible on site. Horses are welcome. Ground floor: sitting room/dining room/kitchen (4 hot plates, electric oven, microwave, dishwasher, fridge, freezer), separate toilet, laundry room. First floor: 2 bedrooms (1 double bed), hallway (sofa bed), separate toilet, bathroom (shower, washbasin). Non-smoking gîte. You can watch the donkeys being milked.