LILLE , by far
the largest city in the
north, is the very
symbol of French
industry and working-class
politics. Its mayor,
Pierre Mauroy, was the
first Socialist prime
minister appointed by
Mitterrand in 1981. The
city has a lovely
centre, Vieux Lille,
some vibrant and
obviously prosperous
commercial areas, modern
residential squares, a
large university, a
brand-new métro system,
and a very serious
attitude to its culture
and restaurants.
Although you may not
consider Lille a prime
destination, if you're
travelling through this
region it's worth at
least a day and a night.
The City
The focal point of the
city is the
Grande-Place (otherwise
known as place du
Général-de-Gaulle),
which marks the southern
boundary of the old
quarter, Vieux Lille
. To the south is the
central pedestrianized
shopping area which
extends along rue de
Béthune as far as the
adjacent squares of
place Béthune and place
de la République. On
Saturdays, especially,
the area is so jammed
with shoppers that you
can hardly move, and
crowded outdoor cafés
add to the street life.
The major festival
of the year, the Grande
Braderie, takes place
over the first weekend
of September, when a big
street parade and vast
flea market fill the
streets of the old town
by day, and the evenings
see a moules frites
frenzy in all the
restaurants, with empty
mussel shells piled up
in the streets.
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