Lille Before and During the War

by Pneu Michelin

PANORAMA OF ROUBAIX (Cliché LL.)

ROUBAIX

Itinerary: Leave Lille by the Boulevard Carnot at the Place du Théâtre, between the Theatre and the New Bourse. Follow the Boulevard des Trois Villes to Roubaix. Enter the latter by the Rue de Lille, follow its continuation, the Rue Neuve, which leads to the Grande Place: Hôtel de Ville and Church of St. Martin.

Hôtel de Ville

The present building is the work of the architect Laloux (1911); it replaced the old Town Hall, built in 1845 and pulled down in 1907. The latter, as the town grew, had several times been enlarged and otherwise altered, but had finally become too small for a population of more than 50,000 workpeople and an annual production exceeding 500,000,000 frs. in value.

THE HÔTEL DE VILLE
(Cliché LL.)

The new Town Hall is a fine building, with a frieze representing scenes from the local industries. A wing on the right serves as the Stock-Exchange, while another on the left contains the town's records.