Lille, a city at the heart of Europe

The  region  “Nord-Pas-de-Calais”  is  known  for  the quality  of  its  hospitality  and  its  dynamic  young population.  Given  its  location,  Lille,  which  is  the  4th largest  agglomeration  in  France,  puts  Europe  within reach.  It  is  also  located  one  hour  from  the  seaside towns of the North Sea.

A young metropolis

With 28% of its inhabitants under the age of 20, Lille is the  town  in  France  with  the  largest  percentage  of young people. With more than 100,000 students, it is also the metropolis in France with the largest student population.

A dynamic economy

The  metropolis  has  always  had  a  strong  trading tradition.  The  agglomeration  of  Lille  occupies  a  key strategic role in the following areas:
•   Mass retail, with companies such as Auchan, Décathlon, Castorama, Leroy-Merlin…
•   Mail order   (Trois Suisses International, Redcats)
•   Personal credit (Cofidis, Finaref)
•   The automotive industry (Peugeot-PSA, Renault, Toyota)
•   The food-processing industry (Bonduelle, Lesaffre, Leroux)

A tourist destination

Thanks to its dynamism and cultural diversity, Lille was chosen, in 2004, as Cultural Capital of Europe. Today, it is one of the most visited towns in France for a short break. After the success of Lille 2004, a new cultural event, Lille 3000, will take place every 2 years, based around the themes of modernity and the cultures of the world.