The most attractive of all the Lille historical buildings is the Hospice Comtesse. Set on rue de la Monnaie, this former hospital, founded in the 12th century and rebuilt in the 18th, houses a museum of Flemish art, furniture and ceramics, a lovely garden, chapel and concert venue.

The Countess of Flanders, Jeanne de Constantinople, had the hospice built in 1237 as an appeal for her husband who was captured.

The hospice was totally destroyed by a fire in 1468 and rebuilt a couple of times afterwards. That's why you will notice facades in different styles. Some of the rooms have been restored. The convent, the hospital ward with its timbered ceiling and also the chapel. There is a wonderful kitchen with lovely dutch blue and white tiles covering the walls from floor to ceiling.

The rooms are home to many beautiful paintings by Dutch ,Flemish and French painters. There are some lovely tapestries on the walls too. Outside there is a lovely courtyard with seating areas.

Lille and General de Gaulle

Northwest of the old city and slightly north of the Citadel is the birth place of the late President de Gaulle Rue Princesse 9. He was born in this house on the 22nd of November 1890. As General Charles de Gaulle was the leader of the Free French forces in World War 2, which he did from the UK. In the 1950's he became president of France. His childhood was spent here. The house is a museum to his childhood and to his life. It houses the car that is riddled with bullet holes from a failed assassination attempt on his life and immortalised in the film "Day of the Jackal". He died in 1970.

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