Chapter II: Part 2

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=From the Grande Place to the Douai Gate quarter, destroyed by the Explosion of the "18 Ponts."=

_Principal sights on the way_: =The Prefecture=, =Museum= _and_ =Paris Gate=.

_Starting Point_: =The Grande Place=.

_To the right of the Grand' Garde, take the Rue Neuve, continued by the Rue de Béthune_ (one of those which suffered most from the bombardments).

_Follow this street to the Place de Béthune and to the Place Richebé_; see the bronze equestrian =Statue= of _General Faidherbe_ (1896), at the foot of which are two feminine figures with palm-branches and arms symbolising France and Lille. Two =bas-reliefs= representing the battles of Pont-Noyelles and Bapaume adorn the sides. The Monument is the combined work of the architect _Pugol_ and the sculptor _Mercié_.

_In front of the statue_: Boulevard de la Liberté and the fine Place de la République; _on the right_ is the =Prefecture=, _on the left_, the =Palais des Beaux Arts=.

The =Prefecture= is a richly ornamented building, erected in 1869 from the plans of the architect _Matteau_. The walls have been deeply scarred in places by shell splinters _(note the white patches on the blackened façade)_.

The =Palais des Beaux-Arts= was inaugurated in 1892.

Composite in style, it is very richly ornamented. Flanked by two round pavilions with cupolas containing staircases, its principal façade is in the Rue de la République. The =Museum of Lille= is installed there.

THE MUSEUM OF LILLE

This is one of the finest provincial museums in France. As early as 1795 it contained 183 works of art. A Consular Decree, dated the 14th Fructidor, Year IX, added 46 paintings taken from the collections of the Louvre and Versailles. The first catalogue, dated 1850, comprised 274 works of art, which number had increased to 1,275 at the time of the inventory of January 1st, 1908.

The Museum during the War

The Museum was the edifice which most suffered from the German bombardments. On October 11th, 1914, it was struck by 75 shells. The curator took measures at once to have the roof repaired and protect the collections.

However, the Museum was not proof against German greed. On Saturday, November 17th, two officers, accompanied by military policemen, came to "requisition" the works of art, in the name of the German authorities. After visiting the different rooms, and being unable to obtain the keys of the cabinets, they broke open the latter and took all the medals and miniatures, which they placed in paper bags from a neighbouring grocer's shop. The curator protested the same day, both verbally and in writing, to the Kommandantur and Military Governor.

The miniatures were brought back on November 19th, and the medals on December 3rd, less various antique gold jewels, two miniatures, and two gold medals, which had been "lost."

Later, two well-known German art experts _Herr Demmler_ and _Herr Professor Klemen_, armed with carefully annotated catalogues, made a general "requisition" comprising: 1,500 drawings (including those by Raphael and Michael Angelo), 420 paintings and 518 other works of art, all of which were packed up, labelled and sent off. The famous _="Wax Head"= (page 43)_ had, however, been hidden away in an underground vault, and replaced by a copy.

In an endeavour to justify their action, the Germans sent out a radiogram on November 4th, 1918, stating that the Museum of Lille had been damaged so seriously as to be unsafe for works of art, and that at the request of the curator, an inventory of the collections had been made and the latter transferred first to Valenciennes and then to the Old Museum in Brussels.

VISIT TO THE MUSEUM

The collections are classed under four distinct heads: =paintings=, =modern sculpture=, =archeological and lapidary specimens= and the =Wicar collections=.

I.--Paintings

The =Flemish= and =French= schools are the best represented. _(For a detailed description of the paintings, see "La peinture au Musée de Lille," by François Benoit_, 3 vols. _in 4to, with reproductions_, 1908).

The =Spanish= school includes a St. Jerome, by _Ribera_, dated 1643.

The =Italian= school contains The Martyrdom of St. George by _Veronese_ (duplicate of the painting by _San Giorgio Maggiore_ at Verona); two circular panels: Eloquence and Science (symbolized by two Venetian women with auburn hair), also by Veronese; The Flight into Egypt by _Carlo Saraceni_, and the Assumption of the Virgin by _Piazzetta_ (two very original painters little known in France); a delicate "Virgin with wild roses," of exquisite colouring, by _Ridolfo Ghirlandajo_; "Magdalene at the feet of Christ" and a "Judith and Holopherne" by _Lambert Zustris_ (often called Lambert Lambard)--two paintings of limpid colouring; (note the delicate lilac-grey tints).

As befits the "Capital of Flanders," the =Flemish= and =Dutch= Schools of the North are fully represented.

The Mystic Press, by _Jean Bellegambe_; the triptych, Virgin surrounded by Angels, attributed to _Gerard David_; the first portrait of Philippe le Bon, attributed to _Pierre Etret_; the Symbolical Fountain, an exceedingly fine altar-screen panel by _Thierry Bouts_ de Haarlem, is particularly noteworthy; a portrait of Emperor Charles Quint at the age of 32, by _Christophe Amberger_ and Charles Quint taking the Monk's Gown, by _Nicolas Francken the Elder_. _Rubens_ is represented by seven paintings: The Descent from the Cross, of admirable clearness; the expression is more natural than that of the painting in Antwerp; Vision of the Virgin appearing to St. Francis, of warm colouring; St. Bonaventure Meditating, and St. Francis receiving the Stigmas (two fine long panels); The Death of Magdalene (a somewhat monotonous but strangely intense monochrome). _Van Dyck_ is well represented by the following: The Crucifixion, considered by Paul de St. Victor to be his greatest masterpiece (the figure of Christ stands out clearly against a cloudy sky pierced by lightning); Portraits of an Old Lady and Marie de Médicis (in the background are seen Antwerp and the Escaut). The following artists are also represented: _Jordaens_, by the Prodigal Son, Christ and the Pharisees, the Temptation, and a wonderful study of cows; _Gaspard de Crayer_, by Martyrs buried alive (fine harmonious composition); _F. Franchoys_, by a Portrait of the Prior of the Abbey of Tongerloo, Gisherts Mutsarts, dated 1645. (Paintings by this artist are exceedingly rare). _Verspronck_, by the Portrait of Young Boy; _Jansen Van Ceulen_, by a very fine portrait of Anne Marie de Schurmann; _Pieter Codde_, by Conversation, of delightful colouring.

The =French= school, although incomplete (_Prudhon_, _Ingres_ and _Antoine Watteau_ are not represented), is nevertheless rich and instructive. First of all an _anonymous_ 17th century Portrait of an Architect, whose pale harsh face arrests the attention and haunts the memory. _Ph. de Champaigne_ is represented by the Good Shepherd; _Restout_ by a Jesus at Emmaüs; _Mignard_, by A Judgment by Midas; _Largillière_, by a very fine portrait of his father-in-law, the painter, John Forest; _Douvé_ (native of Lille), by a fine portrait of the painter Savage; _Jean Voilles_, by a delightful portrait of Madame Liénard; _François Watteau_ (grand nephew of Antoine Watteau), by two amusing sketches: Procession of our Lady of the Vine in 1789 and The Old Clothes Market of Lille; _David_, by his first picture after returning from Rome, "Bélisaire" (1781), of which there is a reduced copy in the Louvre (this painting marks the re-birth of the antique); _Boilly_, a native of the district of Lille, is fully represented by his Triumph of Marat--masterpiece of great truth and delicacy--and 28 portraits of artists painted for the picture "Réunion d'artistes dans l'atelier d'Isabey." The following are the names of these portraits: _Van Dael_, flower painter; _Houdon_, sculptor (grey overcoat); _Chaudet_, sculptor (seated); _Duplessis Berteaux_, designer (head resting on hands); _Hoffman_, art critic (long powdered hair); _Redoute_, flower painter; _Bourgeois_, designer; _Demarne_, painter; _Thibaut_, architect; _Swibach_, genre painter; _Lemot_, sculptor; _Serangeli_, historical painter (half-length, hands in pockets); _Taunay_, landscape painter; _Isabey_ (red coat); _Percier_, architect (looking at a plan); _Talma_, actor; _Drolling_, portrait-painter (red waistcoat); _Corbet_, sculptor (grey coat and white waistcoat); _Meynier_, painter; _Fontaine_, architect; _Blot_, engraver; _Bidault_, painter; _Boilly-Chenard_, singer; _Girodet-Trioson_, _Gerard_ and the remarkable group _Lethière_ and _Carle Vernet_.

In the =modern= school, the following are especially noteworthy: La Medée, by _Eugène Delacroix_ (strikingly dramatic), L'après-diner à Ornans, by _Courbet_, the colouring of which is unfortunately fading; La Becquée, charming genre painting by _Millet_; Effet du Matin, by _Corot_, remarkable for its beautiful effects of silvery light.

II.--Sculpture

Of the collections of sculpture, only the fine =bust= of Bonaparte by _Corbet_, dated 1799, is worthy of special mention.

III.--Archeological and Lapidary Museum

The Archeological Museum contains the following remarkable works of art: Three 14th century =statuettes= of the Virgin (two of wood, one of marble); an ivory =diptych= of the Crucifixion; a 13th century =reliquary cross= of Flemish origin; divers curious specimens of =brass-work=, including the Censer of Lille, rightly considered a masterpiece; a richly embroidered =altar-cloth=, representing the Annunciation.

IV.--The Wicar Collections

The important Wicar Collections were bequeathed by the Lille painter, _Jean Baptist Wicar_, pupil of David (1762-1834), who in 1815 succeeded in protecting the Museum of Lille from spoliation by the Allies.

Commissary to Bonaparte in Italy, and later Director of the Royal Academy at Naples, Wicar adopted Roman nationality, and collected a large number of fine drawings and art treasures. Parts of his collections are to-day at Oxford. The famous "Wax Head" _(p. 43)_ is in the centre of the Wicar Room.

There are several =Renaissance bronzes= worthy of note, also a =marble bas-relief= by Donatello, representing the Beheading of John the Baptist, and a fine terra-cotta =Head of Child= by Verrochio. The drawings merit careful inspection. The following are especially remarkable: Studies on pink and yellow grounds, by _Filippo Lippi_, _Filippino_, _Ghirlandaio_, and _La Verrochio_; Head of Bald Man, by _Montegna_; 14 drawings on parchment, representing scenes from the Metamorphoses, Children's Games and Arabesques, attributed by L. Gonse to _Jacopo Francia_, attest marvellous delicacy and skill; two sheets of caricatures by _Leonard de Vinci_ and 60 sketches by _Raphael_; studies in black and red by _Michael Angelo_, especially a Dead Christ, figure of a naked man, fantastic masks and a series of 184 architectural drawings, generally known as the "Book of Michael Angelo." _Annibal Carrache_, _Le Guide_, _Guerchin_, _Sodoma_ and _André del Sarto_ are also well represented.

On the other hand, French drawings are few in number, the most remarkable being one by _David_ for his "Serment des Horaces." The others include: "Le Corps de Garde," by _Boilly_ (fine, carefully-finished drawing); a naked Woman, by _Watteau_; two drawings by _Ingres_ for his "Apotheose d'Homère;" a drawing by _Poussin_ for the "Massacre des Innocents"; a wonderful Portrait of Old Man, by _Lagneau_, an artist little known in the reign of Louis XIII, but a great master; lastly a fascinating fusain drawing by _Millet_: "Le Troupeau de Moutons an milieu d'un bois."

The "Wax Head"

The most celebrated work of art in the collections is the =Wax Head= (Tête de Cire), which has so often been reproduced in engravings, photographs and casts. This funeral souvenir, which stands in a golden niche in the middle of a room draped with red plush, was made to perpetuate the memory of a young girl 15 to 18 years of age. The pedestal and draperies are of terra-cotta, and date from the 18th century.

Of Italian origin, the head is attributed by some to Raphael, by others to Leonard de Vinci. The possibility of its being antique is no longer admitted. According to Gonse, it came from the Tuscan studio of Orsino Benitendi, and dates from about 1480. The wax was tinted at a later date.

Leaning to one side, the face is pensive in expression. The neck is flexible and sits with easy grace on the shoulders. The cheeks are rather broad and somewhat flat, the chin round and short. A faint smile hovers round the delicate mouth. The eyes are considered by some to be rather small. The waving hair is divided into two graceful masses, which are rolled up on the back of the neck.

The expression of the face is enigmatical and changes with the angle from which it is regarded. Psychologists and artists alike will long discuss its charms.

When the two German experts _Herr Demmler_ and _Herr Professor Klemen_ "requisitioned" the collections of the Museum _(p. 39)_, what they took away was a _copy_ of this head, the original having been hidden in one of the underground vaults. It narrowly escaped destruction in October, 1918, when the Germans, previous to evacuating the town, cut the water-mains, so that the sub-basement of the Museum was flooded. Fortunately, the water did not rise high enough to do serious damage, and the head was eventually restored intact to its velvet pedestal.

_Near the Museum, at the corner of the Rue Jeanne Maillotte and the Rue Denis Godefroy which opens on the Boulevard de la Liberté, in line with the Museum_, is the house where M. Eugène =Jacquet= lived _(his apartment was on the 1st floor, see photograph below and page 16)_.

_Leave the Place de la République by the Rue Nicolas Leblanc (at the corner of the Square, by the side of the Museum) at the end of which is the =Church of St. Michael=. Continue as far as the Place Philippe le Bon: in the middle, =Monument to Pasteur=; on the left, =University of Lille=._

The =University of Lille= occupies spacious buildings inaugurated in 1895. An important library and various wings have since been added, including the Coal and the Gosselet Geological and Mineralogical Museums, the Electro-Technical and Pasteur Institutes, etc. The University of Lille is the second in importance in France.

_On the left, at the end of the Place Philippe le Bon, take the Rue Solférino which crosses the Place Jeanne d'Arc and leads to the Rue de Douai._

_From the Place Philippe le Bon, the tourist may visit the =curious Monument=_ built by the Germans in the Southern Cemetery, where several thousands of their soldiers were buried. The monument represents a Walkyrie carrying off a dead warrior to the Walhalla _(p. 64)_.

_To reach the Cemetery, take the Rue des Pyramides, on the right of the Church, then the Rue des Postes, go through the Porte des Postes and follow the Rue du Faubourg des Postes to the cemetery. Return to the Porte des Postes, taking on the right the Boulevard Victor Hugo which leads back to the crossing of the Rue Solférino and the Boulevard des Écoles (see Itinerary, p. 36)._

_If preferred, the tourist can go direct from Philippe le Bon Square to the Douai Gate, via the Rue Solférino (continued by the Rue de Douai), passing between the University and St. Michael's Church._

[Sidenote: _See itinerary, p. 36_]

_=The "Dix-huit Ponts"= (see p. 22)_

On reaching the Rue de Douai, the cracked walls of the houses, many of them roofless, which were damaged by the =Explosion= of the =German Ammunition Depot= known as the "Dix-huit Ponts," come into view. The tourist will get a closer view of them as he proceeds. _At the Douai Gate, take the Boulevard de Belfort on the left_, which leads to the scene of the catastrophe. The =crater= is still plainly distinguishable, although its sides are no longer sharp, and grass is springing up everywhere.

_Climb to the highest point of the fortifications above the crater, to get a good view of this moving scene._

To the right and left extends the regular and picturesque line of the Vauban fortifications, the red brick walls standing out well against the green of the grass-covered slopes. In the nearest walls are large crevices, while below, the tourist sees the crater strewn with rubbish and portions of the vaulting. In front, the wrecked spinning-mills, of which only the chimneys remain standing, and the devastated streets (Rue de Ronchin, Rue de Trévise, etc.), form impressive silhouettes.

_Return to the Douai Gate_, in front of which traces on the ground mark the site of a block of buildings burnt down by the Germans in October, 1914, when they entered the town. _Take again the Rue de Douai, then the Boulevard des Écoles, following the latter to the Rue and Porte de Paris._

_To the right of the Rue de Paris, in the Boulevard Louis XIV, are the =School of Arts and Craft= and the =Pasteur Institute=._

[Sidenote: _See itinerary, p. 36_]

The Paris Gate

This gate was built in 1685-1695 from the plans of a local architect (Simon Vollant), to commemorate the return of Lille to France (1667). It was completely restored in 1895. The demolition of the old line of fortifications left this gate isolated in the middle of the town, and it was to ornament and finish off those portions which adjoined the ramparts that additions in the same style were then made. The whole forms a Monumental Gate and Triumphal Arch.

In a large semi-circular arch is the Royal Coat of Arms, while below are the Arms of Lille carved on a stone tablet. On either side of the latter are channels for receiving the drawbridge levers.

To the right and left, two Doric columns on pedestals support the whole of the entablature with frieze and cornice, above which are trophies, helmets and flags. On pedestals between the columns are statues of Hercules _(on the right)_ and Mars _(on the left)_, while above are sculptured motifs in demi-relief.

The most remarkable part of the monument is the great sculptured motif which crowns the whole. In the middle, Victory seated amidst arms and standards, raises her right hand to crown the King (Louis XIV), seen in the medallion immediately below. At Victory's feet, somewhat to the right and left, two figures of Fame proclaim the glory on trumpets.

The whole is expressive and graceful, attesting the great ability of the artist in treating this somewhat commonplace theme.

_Take the Rue Carnot to the right of the Gate, skirting the Square Ruault, which is the continuation, as far as the =Hospital of St. Saviour=._

This hospital, sometimes known as that of St. John the Evangelist, was founded in 1216, after the battle of Bouvines, by the Countess Jeanne de Constantinople. The present brick and stone buildings date from the 17th and 18th centuries.

_Door in one of the galleries_]

In the Middle-Ages, hospital wards contained an altar at one end, so that the patients could hear Mass from their beds. A heavy curtain was then drawn, cutting off the altar from the remainder of the room.

In the hospital of St. Saviour, the choir of the chapel, which is lighted by high, broken-arch windows, still exists. A low, vaulted room, opening on the right, serves as an oratory for the nuns.

_Skirting the Hospital on the right, the tourist comes to the =Noble Tower=._

Built in 1459, the Noble Tower was formerly the centre of the town's defences. It consisted originally of three stories, one of which contained ribbed Gothic vaulting. Of great size and massive construction, the tower is flanked by two smaller ones connected by a curtain. The upper portion of the tower has disappeared.

Near by is seen the steeple of the =church of St. Saviour=, a modern, pseudo-Byzantine edifice.

_Return to the Paris Gate, via the Ruault Square, taking again the Rue de Paris. On the left, at No. 224, is_ a high gabled wall containing vestiges of a broken-arch bay, all that remains of the old =Hospice Ganthois=, founded in 1466 by _Jean de la Cambe_, surnamed Ganthois. The right wing was rebuilt in the 17th century. Over the entrance appears the date "1664." An interior court, shaped like a cloister, leads to the patients' ward.

THIRD ITINERARY

_(Follow the =arrows= along the streets indicated by =continuous lines=)._

From the Grande Place to the Citadelle

_Monuments to be seen on the way_: The =Monument to Desrousseaux= in the Jussieu Square, the =Testelin Monument=, the =Church of the Sacred Heart=, the =Palais Rameau=; the =Bridges over the Deule=, =Monument to Négrier=, =Churches of St. André= and =St. Catherine=.

* * * * *

The temporary bridges mentioned further on, existed in April, 1919. In whatever state the tourist may find them, he need only _follow the Deule canal, after the =Jardin Vauban=, cross the first bridge he meets, and turn back to the left (if necessary) on the other side, until he comes to the avenue which opens out on the right opposite the Boulevard de la Liberté, and which leads to the =Citadelle=._

_Leave the Grande Place by the Rue Nationale, following the latter as far as the church of the Sacred Heart_, whose high unfinished tower will be seen on the right. _To the right is the =Jussieu Square=_ (landscape garden laid out by Barillet in the moats of the old fortifications), at the entrance to which is a =monument= to the local poet and song-writer =Desrousseaux= (photo opposite), who started his career (1820-1892) as a simple working-man, and whose dialect songs are still sung. At the foot of the monument is the figure of a young mother rocking her child to sleep, recalling the composer's most popular song; _"Dors, min p'tit quinquin."_

_Cross the Boulevard de la Liberté, then skirt the =Testelin Monument=. M. Testelin_ was Prefect of the North of France and "Organizer of National Defence in the North in 1870-1871." The monument bears traces of the bombardment, while the bronze statues which surrounded the pedestal were carried away by the Germans.

_On reaching the =Church of the Sacred Heart=, turn to the right and follow the Rue de Solférino to the Boulevard Vauban, on the right of which is the =Palais Rameau=._

The Palais Rameau

This fairly large building was erected in 1878, with the financial help of an agriculturist named _Rameau_. The principal hall is used for exhibitions, more especially horticultural. The rather =curious façade= includes a =bust of Rameau= flanked by figures of the goddesses Flora (flowers) and Pomona (fruits). In the rear of the Palace Garden is a fine circular =conservatory=.

_On leaving the Palais, take on the right the Boulevard Vauban which, a little further on, crosses the =Jardin Vauban=_ (pretty public garden), leading to the =Canal de la Moyenne Deule=.

Skirting a portion of the Citadelle and continuing the canal of the Haute Deule, this canal connects Lille with la Bassée and Douai. The river Deule was first opened up to navigation in 1271, while in 1830 its sidings were improved and the water-way deepened.

In April, 1919, it was necessary to follow the Deule as far as the Square du Ramponneau, where a temporary wooden bridge had been built close to a half-destroyed foot-bridge. After crossing the bridge, visitors had to come back to the left as far as the first avenue on the right leading to the Citadelle _(see p. 49)_.

The Citadelle

This masterpiece of the fortification art is the work of Vauban (17th century). In shape a regular pentagon, it includes numerous detached out-works. Entrance to it is gained through the Royal Gate, which dates from 1670 _(photo above)_. It contains barracks and a chapel (photo below), and it was in the latter that the hostages of Lille spent their nights during the German occupation _(p. 12)_.

=Jacquet=, =Deconinck=, =Maertens=, =Verhulst= and =Trulin= were shot in the northern moats by the Germans _(p. 18)_.

_After visiting the Citadelle, re-cross the bridge, turn to the left and follow the =Façade de l'Esplanade=, fine avenue planted with linden-trees, which runs alongside the canal._ The ruins of =Napoléon Bridge=, blown up by the retreating Germans, _will be noticed (photo p. 52)_.

Further on, at the northern end of the avenue, is the =Négrier Bridge=, which was also destroyed by the Germans. Looking towards Napoléon Bridge, the =tower of St. Catherine's church= appears above the trees bordering the canal. Near by is the =statue of General Négrier= by Bra (1849), _photo below_, which was damaged by flying débris, when the bridge was blown up.

The Napoléon Bridge dated from 1912. It was destroyed by the retreating Germans.

Beyond the bridge is seen the tower of St. Catherine's Church _(see p. 54)_. This photograph was taken from the Négrier Bridge _(p. 53)_.]

_Take the Rue du Magasin on the right to the Rue Royale, and follow the latter to the right. With its continuation, =the Rue Esquermoise=_, which leads to the Grande Place, the Rue Royale forms one of the main arteries of the old town.

The =Church of St. André= is reached shortly afterwards.

Church of Saint-André.

This church was erected in 1702. The doorway, with its two tall modern statues of St. Peter and St. Andrew in niches, is of two different orders, superposed and divided by an entablature, the whole being surmounted by a triangular pediment.

Near the entrance are two =paintings=: The Purification, and The Adoration of the Wise Men, by _Otto Venius_. In the southern aisle is a St. Theresa in Heaven by _A. de Vuez_; in the chapel of St Joseph: God sending his Son to save the World, by _Van Oost_; on the High Altar: Martyrdom of St. Andrew, by a local artist, _G. Descamps_; on either side of the choir, marble =busts= of St. Peter and St. Paul, by _Quellin_; in the northern aisle, the Annunciation, by _A. de Vuez_; in the Chapel of the Virgin, the Virgin giving the scapulary to one Simon Stock, by _Jean Van Oost_; a =silver Tabernacle= with bas-relief representing The Crucifixion, by the local goldsmith, _Baudoux_; an 18th century wrought-iron =railing=; 16th century sacerdotal =ornaments= from the Abbey of Loos. The _=pulpit= (photo p. 54)_ by _J.-B. Daneson_ of Valenciennes, dates from 1876. Its sounding-board represents a heavy curtain raised by an angel.

_Further on in the Rue Royale, after the Banque de France, in a small street on the right, is the Church of St. Catherine (photo below)._

Church of St. Catherine

Like many Flemish churches, that of St. Catherine has no transept, and consists of three practically identical naves. Standing out from the façade, a large square tower, flanked at the corners by eight buttresses, supports the ancient timber-work =belfry=--one of the finest in the region. The bell-chamber is lighted by broken-arch bays. One of the heavy bells (1403) bears a curious =inscription= in rhymes. Below the tower is the great doorway.

The exterior decoration is very sober in style. The right-hand side of the building is masked by houses. The left façade, between whose high mullioned windows are buttresses decorated with small ornamental arcades, has been restored in modern times. Belts of foliage run round the gutters of the roof. The carvings on the great and small doorways are modern.

Inside the church are two rows of columns on moulded bases, the corbels of whose capitals are ornamented with foliage. The nerves of the vaulting are plaster.

In the northern aisle is a =painting= by _Rubens_: The Martyrdom of St. Catherine, dating from about 1622; in the Chapel of Our Lady of Lourdes, on the left of the choir in a small niche, is a =statuette= of Our Lady of the Seven Afflictions, given by _Philippe le Bon_, in 1450, to the collegiate of St. Peter. In the Chapel of the Sacred Heart, to the right of the choir, is a small 15th century =funeral monument= in a niche. The =carved stalls= ornamented with statues are also noteworthy.

_After visiting the church return to the Rue Royale_; at Nos. 1 and 3, =curious 17th century houses=.

_At the end of the Rue Royale, take the Rue Esquermoise (which is the continuation, and which contains =18th century houses=_ at Nos. 83 and 101), _as far as the Grande Place_.

FOURTH ITINERARY

_(Follow the =arrows= along the streets indicated by =continuous lines=)_

THE OLD TOWN

_Chief Buildings_: The =Church of Our Lady of the Vine=; =Comtesse Hospital=, =Law Courts=, =Church of St. Magdalene=, =Hôtel des Canonniers=, =Roubaix Gate=.

* * * * *

_Starting from the Grande Place, cross the Place du Théâtre and take the Rue de la Grande Chaussée, on the left of the Nouvelle Bourse_: 13th and 14th century houses at Nos. 11, 14, 15, 42 and 52. _On the right take the Rue des Chats Bossus and Place du Lion d'or, leave the Place St. Martin on the right, and take the Rue de la Monnaie on the left._ At No. 31 in this street, opens a narrow passage leading to the =Church of Our Lady of the Vine=, which is being erected on the site of the Castle of Buc. When finished, it will be one of the largest of modern Gothic churches. The inhabitants of Lille have already surnamed it "the Cathedral." Building was begun in 1855, from plans by the English architects Clutton and Burges, revised by the Jesuit, Arthur Martin. 13th century in style, the choir, over crypt, is only half-finished, while the remainder of the edifice has not yet been begun.

In the chapel of the apse, over the altar, is a =statue= of Our Lady of the Vine, venerated since the 13th century as the Patron Saint of the town. In a chapel on the left are =plans= and a =model in relief= of the finished basilica.

_Return to the Rue de la Monnaie_, at No. 32 of which is the =Comtesse Hospital=.

The =Comtesse Hospital= was founded in 1243 by Countess Jeanne de Flandre; the entrance dates from 1649, and opens on to a curious vaulted passage. A 15th century gable faces the Rue Comtesse.

Inside are =paintings= by _Arnould de Vuez_ and _Wamps_. The chapel contains fine =timber-work vaulting= and a =commemorative tablet= inscribed with the names of the French officers who died in this hospital of wounds received at the Battle of Fontenoy.

_Follow the Rue de la Monnaie as far as the Place du Concert. Turn to the right as far as the Canal de la Basse Deule_, by the side of which is the =Colonnade= of the Law Courts (1837) _(photo below)_.

The Deule is an important river about 40 miles long, which traverses the whole of the coalfields of Northern France, and helps to carry the enormous traffic connected with the metallurgical, cotton, woollen and sugar industries of that region.

_Follow the Deule Quay to the left, to the steps of the Pont Neuf. (If motoring or driving, the tourist will have to go via the Place du Concert, Rue St. André, then taking on the right the Rue du Pont Neuf.)_ The latter crosses the Deule by the =Grand Pont= or =Pont Neuf=, formerly called the Pont Royal. Built in 1701 from plans by the architect Vollant, this bridge connects up the two parallel roads which run alongside the canal. Originally it was composed of six arches, two of which spanned the river, the other four passing over the low-level roads on either bank.

To allow the trams to pass, the two arches on the quay where the colonnade of the Palais de Justice stands have been replaced in recent times by an unartistic platform resting on iron pillars, which has spoilt the appearance of the bridge.

Steps connect the bridge with the quays.

_After crossing the bridge, the tourist arrives in front of the =Church of St. Magdalene= (1675)_, a vast round edifice surrounded by chapels and surmounted by a cupola. It contains several interesting =paintings=: on the High Altar, the Resurrection of Lazarus, by _Jacques Van Oost_; under the dome, The Four Doctors of the Latin Church, by the same painter; in the Chapel of Our Lady of Help, The Adoration of the Shepherds, by _Rubens_; in the Chapel of the St. Sacrement, Christ crucified, by _Van Dyck_: at the entrance to the choir, The Woman of Samaria and the Canaanitish Woman, by _Arnould de Vuez_.

_Follow the Rue de Thionville, which begins opposite St. Magdalene's Church, then turn to the left into the Place de Gand, at the end of which is the =Gand Gate=. On the right take the Rue de Courtrai which leads to the Place aux Bluets. At the lower end of this square, turn to the left into the Rue des Urbanistes, then take the first street on the right, the Rue des Canonniers, which skirts the =Hôtel des Canonniers=. The latter_, formerly an Urbanist Convent, was given by +Napoléon+ in 1804 to the "Sedentary Gunners Corps" of Lille. It contains town records and a small museum of local interest.

A little further on, at the corner of the Rue des Canonniers and the Rue de Roubaix is the old =Hôtel d'Aigremont=, dating from the 18th century.

_Turning to the left into the Rue de Roubaix, the tourist comes out in front of the =Roubaix Gate=._

_As in the case of the Tournai Gate (p. 34), the retreating Germans blew up the bridge over the moat, seen on p. 57 (before) and above (after) the explosion. A temporary road replaces the Bridge._]

ROUBAIX GATE

The =Roubaix= or =St. Maurice Gate= dates from about 1620, and was erected from the plans of _Jean de Mesre_, _Jean Petit_ and _Jean Fayet_. Of its three entrances, the middle one only is ancient. Above each entrance is carved a coat of arms. The one in the centre, forming a tympanum, is between two pilasters supporting a triangular pediment. At the top is a row of battlements, with a stone niche surmounted by a broken pediment in the centre. The niche contains the =statue= of a woman.

Over the passage is a slate-roofed building ornamented with coloured glazed bricks.

_Go through the gate and take the Rue du Faubourg de Roubaix to the =Eastern Cemetery=._ The graves of =Jacquet= and =Trulin= are in this cemetery _(see photos p. 24)_.

_Return to the Grande Place by the Rue de Roubaix, Rue des Ponts-de-Comines and Rue Faidherbe._

ROUBAIX-TOURCOING

From Lille to Roubaix and Tourcoing, via the Boulevard des
Trois Villes.

Total Distance, including return journey: 16 miles.

=ROUBAIX=, one of France's =chief industrial centres=, is of very ancient origin. The first important mention of it in history, however, only goes back to the 15th century (1469), when one, _Peter of Roubaix_, obtained permission from Charles the Bald to manufacture cloth. It was occupied and sacked several times by foreign invaders. In 1792 it was taken by the Austrians, in 1794 by the English, and in 1914 by the Germans.

In 1554, Roubaix, which had become a rival to Lille, obtained permission from Charles Quint and later (1609) from the Council of the Arch-Dukes of Austria, to manufacture velvet, fustian and common grey linen cloth.

A decree of the State Council in 1762, granting similar privileges to all the parishes, was the subject of long lawsuits, which were decided against Lille.

The popular song-writer, _Gustave Nadaud_ (1820-1893) was a native of Roubaix.

There are no monuments in the town anterior to the Revolution.

The population, largely composed of the working classes, increased rapidly between 1881 and 1891, and numbered 120,000 in 1914. The suburbs: Wattrelos, Lys, Croix, Wasquehal and Mouvaux, are extensions of the town itself and are growing steadily.

Since 1830 Roubaix has been an important centre for =wool combing= and =spinning=, the machinery employed comprising 700 washing, carding, combing and weaving machines and 300,000 spindles. Before the War, the wool-spinning mills produced =6,000 tons= of yarn annually, the whole of which was used in France.

The =dyeing= and =finishing= industries, which date back to 1760, had steadily prospered. In 1914, 48 firms, employing 8,000 workpeople, were engaged in this branch.

* * * * *

=TOURCOING= shared the fate of Flanders during the course of its history. The English and Flemish burnt it during the 14th century, while the French seized it in 1477. In 1566-1568 it was twice sacked by the Gueux, and the Duke of Albe held it to ransom. From 1667 to 1708 it was annexed to France by Louis XIV. Later it fell successively under the yoke of the Austrians, Dutch and Saxons. On May 18th, 1794, the French beat the Duke of York's troops at Tourcoing, and paved the way for the Victory of Fleurus on June 26th.

=Tourcoing= is essentially an =industrial town=. Its population has steadily increased since 1491, when it numbered 2,500. In 1851 it had grown to 27,615 and in 1914 to 82,644.

From time immemorial Tourcoing has been a =wool manufacturing= centre. Here, the wool is first washed and dried, then treated with cocoanut fat, before combing, and lastly spun. Since 1845 the combing has been done mechanically (Heilman's system). The same may be said of the spinning, which, since 1811, was done on Bobo machines. Before the War, =5,000 tons= of spun wool were exported annually.

Among the =specialities= made at Tourcoing were: =fine thread=, =tablecloths= and =tapestry-work= of mixed silk and mercerised cotton (well known for their fine colouring and reasonable price), and =carpets= of the Wilton and Oriental types.

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 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.

Church of St. Martin

This church, which was rebuilt and transformed in 1849, recalls vaguely the 15th century Gothic style of the original edifice. Only the =steeple= is ancient. The church has five naves and contains four =ancient tombs= and a Flemish =altar-screen=.

_Take the Rue de la Gare, to the Nord-West of the Grande Place._ At the corner of the Rue Nain is the =National School of Industrial Arts=, to which has been added a =Museum= of =Paintings= and =Sculpture= (recently organized by _M. Victor Champier_), a =Textile Museum= and a =Library= containing 15,000 volumes.

The School proper (whose courses, which are well attended, include dyeing, spinning, weaving, etc.) and its annexes (museum and library) are installed in a fine building erected in 1889 from the plans of the architect, _F. Dutert_, who designed the Galerie des Machines in Paris. Built of dressed stone and brick, the three doorways lead to the library, museums (sculpture, paintings, art-history and textiles) and the public lecture-hall.

The =central pediment= by Allar, represents Industry and Art. On the =pediments of the pavilions= are symbolized: The Arts _(by Lanson)_ and the Sciences _(by Hughes)_. The =frieze= _(by Laoust)_ represents, symbolically, the various branches of learning taught in the school.

_At the station, take the Rue de l'Alma on the right, then turn to the left into the Rue de Tourcoing, which leads straight to =Tourcoing=._

GERMAN HEAVY ARTILLERY CROSSING THE SQUARE]

TOURCOING

_The Rue de Roubaix (continuation of the Rue de Tourcoing) is prolonged by the Rue Carnot, which leads to the Grande Place._ Here the tourist will find the =Church of St. Christopher=.

GERMAN REVIEW IN THE GRANDE PLACE]

The Church of St. Christopher

The original church was erected in the 12th or 13th century, but was entirely rebuilt in 1860, in 15th century Gothic style. The body of brick and stone, with its various balustrades, graceful sculptured pinnacles, and richly decorated tracery windows, recalls the churches of that period, but it is evident from the aspect of the interior, where the decoration is less rich, that the church is modern. The spire above the tower is 17th century.

To the N.W. of the church is the =Hôtel de Ville=, a modern, French Renaissance building, surmounted by a large dome. It contains a =library= of about 10,000 volumes, a =museum= of fine =paintings=, mostly modern _(Paul Chabas_, _David_, _Guardi_, _Harpignies_, _Peter Naefs_, _Henri Zo_, _Henri Zuber)_ and specimens of =old cloth-stuffs= of local manufacture.

CONTENTS

PAGE

Origin and chief historical events 2

How Lille fell in 1914 5

The Deliverance 9

The German occupation 11

The Case of the Four 16

The Execution of Léon Trulin 18

The Explosion of the "Dix-huit Ponts" 22

The Deportations 22

Plan of Lille (2 colours) between 24 and 25

+1st Itinerary+ 25

The Grande Place 26

The Bourse 27

The Hôtel de Ville 29

The Palais de Rihour 30

The Church of St. Maurice 31

The Street and Gate of Tournai 34

+2nd Itinerary+ 36

The Museum 38

The Ruins of the "Dix-huit Ponts" 45

The Paris Gate 47

The Noble Tower 48

+3rd Itinerary+ 49

The Palais Rameau 50

The Citadelle 51

The Napoléon and Négrier Bridges 52, 53

The Churches of St. André and St. Catherine 53, 54

+4th Itinerary+ 55

The Church of Our Lady of the Vine 55

The Palais de Justice. 56

The Roubaix Gate 57

Roubaix and Tourcoing 59

* * * * *

PRINTED IN GREAT BRITAIN BY WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS, LIMITED,
LONDON

+--------------------------------------------------------------+
| "OFFICE NATIONAL DU TOURISME" |
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+--------------------------------------------------------------+
| The "Office National du Tourisme" was created by Act of |
| Parliament on April 8, 1910, and reorganised in 1917. It |
| enjoys civil privileges and financial autonomy. |
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| It is directed by an administrative council chosen by the |
| Minister of Public Works. |
| |
| Its mission is to seek out every means of developing |
| travel; to urge and if necessary to take any measure |
| capable of ameliorating the conditions of the transport, |
| circulation and sojourn of tourists. |
| |
| It co-ordinates the efforts of touring societies and |
| industries, encourages them in the execution of their |
| programmes and stimulates legislative and administrative |
| initiative with regard to the development of travel in |
| France. |
| |
| It promotes understanding between the public services, the |
| great transport companies, the "Syndicats d'Initiative" and |
| the "Syndicats Professionnels." |
| |
| It organises propaganda in foreign countries; and tends |
| towards the creation of Travel Enquiry Offices in France |
| and abroad, with a view to making known the scenery and |
| monuments of France, as well as the health-giving powers of |
| French mineral waters, spas and bathing places. |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+
| ALL ENQUIRIES WITH REGARD TO TRAVELLING |
| SHOULD BE ADDRESSED |
| TO THE "TOURING-CLUB DE FRANCE" |
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| BEAUTIFUL FRANCE |
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| 4,--ANJOU--TOURAINE |
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| Dotted with picturesque old castles, and rich in souvenirs |
| of a glorious past, these provinces--surnamed by the |
| poets "The Garden of France"--are celebrated for their |
| wondrous fertility, smiling landscapes and splendid |
| Renaissance mansions. A favorite resort with motorists of |
| all countries, the tour known as "The Castles of the Loire" |
| enjoys, in particular, a world-wide reputation. |
| |
| =Principal Sights=: Among the more celebrated =castles= are: |
| |
| _In the neighbourhood of Blois_: =Chambord= (Renaissance |
| marvel), =Cheverny= and =Chaumont=. |
| |
| _Near Tours (in the valley of the Loire)_: =Amboise=, home |
| of Charles VIII; =Langeais=, feudal castle; =Villandry=, |
| =Ussé= and =Luynes=. |
| |
| _Valley of the Vienne_: =Chinon=, first meeting-place of |
| Joan-of-Arc with Charles VII. |
| |
| _Valley of the Indre_: =Azay-le-Rideau=, Renaissance |
| Museum; =Loches=, residence of Agnès Sorel, favorite of |
| Charles VII. |
| |
| _Valley of the Cher_: =Chenonceau=, built on a bridge in |
| the bed of the river; =Valençay=. |
| |
| _In the neighbourhood of Saumur and Angers_: |
| =Montreuil-Bellay=, =Brissac=, =Serrant= and =Durtal=. |
| |
| All the great cities around here are interesting: =Angers=, |
| Middle-Age castle, cathedral, "Vieux Logis" and important |
| industries; =Saumur=, imposing feudal castle and town-hall; |
| =Tours=, cathedral, towers of St. Martin and Charlemagne |
| and great bridge over the Loire; =Blois=, magnificent |
| castle (Louis XII and François I); =Orleans=, cathedral, |
| Renaissance town-hall and immortal Joan-of-Arc souvenirs. |
| |
| ONE TRAVELS BEST IN FRANCE WHEN A MEMBER |
| OF THE "TOURING-CLUB DE FRANCE" |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+

Transcriber's Notes:

Used the unicode circled latin capital letter H, Ⓗ, for the
small hotel icons on p. ii.

Used the unicode circled latin capital letter T, Ⓣ, for the
small telegraphic address icons on p. ii.

Used the unicode circled latin capital letter R, Ⓡ, for the
small repair shop icons on p. ii.

Used the mid-dot (·) rather than the full stop for all decimal
points.

Silently corrected simple spelling, grammar, and typographical
errors.

Retained anachronistic and non-standard spellings as printed.

Enclosed italics markup in _underscores_.

Enclosed bold unitalicized markup in =equals=.

Enclosed small capital unitalicized markup in +plus signs+.

End of Project Gutenberg's Lille Before and During the War, by Various

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