Roubaix
The former capital of the textile industry, known as the city of 1,000 chimneys, has reinvented itself as an ‘arty’, alternative centre where old factories are ripe for conversion.
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The city of 1,000 chimney
The artistic spirit revolves around several cultural driving forces like La Piscine museum, Colisée concert hall and the Ballets du Nord. But it also embraces the numerous individual and collective art studios, art galleries, textiles and ceramic designers, street artists which have set up shop in the district known as « Brook’Lille ».
In 2001 Roubaix was awarded the status of Art and History town for its unusual heritage buildings ranging from bourgeois residences of textile factory owners to rows of workers’ terraced houses, old factories, churches and the English-style Parc Barbieux.
What to see and do in Roubaix…
LA PISCINE, the most beautiful swimming pool in France !
In fact the old Art Deco municipal swimming pool, built in 1930 and known as the most beautiful pool in France, now houses the famous « La Piscine » museum of applied arts. The museum was extended in 2018 due to its popularity and 3 new exhibition areas totalling 2,300m² notably featuring a panorama of modern sculpture and a reminder of the history of the town.
VILLA CAVROIS, a listed modernist château
Built for Paul Cavrois, a rich textile industrialist from Roubaix and his seven children, Villa Cavrois is the manifesto of modernist architect Robert Mallet-Stevens. It stands in a residential area of Croix, just next to Roubaix and the Parc Barbieux. It is a château in size (3,800m² floor area) and modern in its horizontal design and cutting edge facilities (lift, telephone, a radio in every room).
LA MANUFACTURE, museum of the history of textile and design.
La Manufacture is a museum in a former textile factory, converted into a modern-day institution. A one-hour discovery trail with background noise of the machines in operation traces the development of weaving from the Middle Ages to the present-day. It includes the story of the textile industry in France and Roubaix and its technical, social and urban influences. La Manufacture is also a venue for exhibitions of contemporary textile art.
FACTORY OUTLETS, a bargain capital !
With 300 factories, Roubaix was renowned as being the ‘capital’ of the woollen industry and then the birthplace of mail order shopping, invented by La Redoute at Roubaix.
A new chapter in the life Roubaix was created in 1984 when the ‘bargain capital’ opened the first factory outlet centre in Europe, L’Usine, which today has 200 designer brand names in 85 shops.
The town also has another outlet village with 70 shops, McArthurGlen, as well La Redoute Aubaines Meubles et Déco (furniture and decoration) in the town centre, very near La Piscine museum.
PARC BARBIEUX, a green space at the heart of the town
This delightful park offers peace and tranquillity in the centre of the town. It is a great place for a family walk at any time of year with lots of plant varieties to discover or rediscover.
FIL DE BRIQUE heritage discovery trail
The Fil de Brique is a 2.4km heritage discovery trail on the road surface of Roubaix town centre. Created by Roubaix Tourisme, it leads visitors and tourists to the many interesting places which make Roubaix an Art and History town. Follow the blue trail on foot or on a scooter* with information poles along the way or a fun booklet* published by Minus Editions and Roubaix Tourisme.
*Available free-of-charge from La Bobine Roubaix Tourisme, 7 rue du chemin de fer, Roubaix.
Visitor comment…
« I had heard a lot about La Piscine museum in an extraordinary setting… and then we thought we just couldn’t miss out on the town’s industrial past : we learned loads about the clothing industry at La Manufacture … All in all we had a very busy day out in Roubaix between museums and shopping ! » Laurence, on a weekend break in the Lille area.
How to get to Roubaix
By train and tramway
By tramway from Lille Flandres Railway Station
By road
A1 from Paris (220km)
A25 from Dunkerque (71km) and Calais (110km)
A23 from Valenciennes (56km)
A27 from Brussels (123km)
A22 from Ghent (73km) Antwerp (124km) and Amsterdam (287km).
Discover the Nord département and its ‘absolute musts’ with Gites de France Nord : Lewarde Mining History Centre, Lille, Parc du Val Joly, the seaside resort of Malo Les Bains."
