RAMPART WALK

More than any other city, Lille has preserved the memory of its past and its fortifications. The 16-kilometre walk retraces the city's history and reveals the jewels of its natural and architectural heritage. In devising this itinerary, the city's art and history and parks and gardens departments invite walkers to see Lille in a different light, highlighting its unsuspected natural treasures. The Remparts Walk is divided into seven sequences. It's up to you to organize your own itinerary, on foot, by bike or by public transport. Here's an overview of what you can discover:

- around the citadel. Your starting point is Vauban's majestic creation, which stands proudly in the heart of the city's largest park;

- the green belt, a legacy of Prefect Vallon. You'll pass through a variety of natural areas featuring allotments and ecological gardens, and discover the exceptional biodiversity of the Winston Churchill plain, before passing through the Porte de Gand;

- one hundred years to open up the city. From Porte de Roubaix to Gare Saint-Sauveur, you'll learn a great deal about the history of urban transformation from the 1920s to the present day. Relax in Henri Matisse Park;

- between science and education. Highlights include the Astronomical Observatory, the Institute of Fluid Mechanics and the Jardin des Plantes, a 10-hectare garden;

- 1858, the enlarged city. From the Porte d'Arras metro station to the Porte des Postes metro station, you'll follow the major works that opened up the city in the manner of those carried out by Baron Haussmann in Paris;

- from HBM to HLM. This sequence takes a fresh look at social housing. You'll discover the shared gardens at the foot of the buildings and the cultural facilities within these lively housing units;

- Lille on the water. Follow the old line of the ^19th-century ramparts along the Deûle canal. You'll discover the Bois Blancs district and Lille's river port.