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. In every
direction the city spreads far into
the countryside, a mass of suburbs
and heavy industrial plants. Lille
exhibits most of the problems of
contemporary France: some of the
worst poverty and racial conflict in
the country, a crime rate rivalled
only by Paris and Marseille, and a
certain regionalism -
Lillois
sprinkle their speech with a
French-Flemish patois and to some
extent assert a Flemish identity.
But there is also classic French
affluence. 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
of Lille
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...
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