It took me a while , worse when you have family about an hour from the city. But often said, living and visiting are two different things . When in the area stay with family and this time again,however, did it in reverse order, when to see Lille and its sights, (stay tune for posts), and then went to see family. Therefore, let me tell you more of the things to see around the Citadel of Lille !!! Hope you enjoy the post as I.
The military structure is surrounded by the Citadel Park which is divided into several parts, thus forming the largest green space in Lille. The Bois de Boulogne and its 60 hectares along the Deûle where the Marin D’Eau Douce electric and license-free boat rental base is located.
Cita Parc is an outdoor recreation center with miniature roller coaster, trackless train, and churro and ice cream vendors.A 8,500 m² amusement park for young and old which will complete your day of activity with our electric and license-free boats but also with the Lille Zoo. The zoo located at the foot of the Citadel opened in 1950 and today receives more than 800,000 visitors. It is divided into 6 thematic areas and will give you the opportunity to meet more than 100 different species of animals. Webpage : https://www.cita-parc.fr/
The only monument in Lille paying homage to General de Gaulle, located at the entrance to the Jardin Vauban garden, Created in 1990 by the great sculptor Eugène Dodeigne, the two totems abstractly symbolizing the memory of the great man He was born in 1890 in Lille. During WWII, he was the leader of the French government in London. He died in 1970. At the memorial is the sign of De Gaulle and also 2 Crosses of Lorraine , symbol of the French resistance.
The Memorial of the Fusillés or executed of Lille is a sculpted monument located in the square Daubenton. It commemorates the execution by the Germans of five resistance fighters from the Great War or WWI, shot on September 22, 1915 , you see (from left to right ) Georges Maertens, merchant, Ernest Deceuninck, lieutenant, Sylvère Verhulst, worker, Eugène Jacquet, wine merchant, Added to this is the young student Léon Trulin, shot on November 8, 1915 at the age of 18 (lying on the ground). Destroyed with a pickaxe or dynamited by the Nazis on August 25, 1940 during the second occupation of Lille, it was rebuilt identically to be reinstalled in 1960 at the end of Boulevard de la Liberté (square Daubenton)
This monument erected near the citadel is unique in France. At the entrance to the Citadel park, it pays tribute to the homing pigeons who died during the Great War or WWI as well as to the pigeon fanciers shot. The monument was erected in 1936. The result is impressive. In front of a column of around ten meters stands the statue of a woman symbolizing peace. Above her, a flock of pigeons flies. At her feet, a shield adorned with a pigeon crushes a snake representing war. During the war, carrier pigeons were used to send messages. Written down on paper, they were hung on the leg of a pigeon who could travel up to hundreds of kilometers to transmit them. Each country had its own pigeon section. During ,WWI, France called upon 30,000 homing pigeons. Among them, 20,000 died on the battlefield. The Lille monument is the only place that pays homage to them in France.
The City of Liille on its heritage : https://www.lille.fr/Que-faire-a-Lille/Decouvrir-Lille
The Lille tourist office on its heritage : https://en.lilletourism.com/discover-lille-1.html
The Hauts de France region on Lille : https://www.tourisme-en-hautsdefrance.com/decouvrir/les-villes-des-hauts-de-france/lille/
There you go folks, a dandy city of the Nord that is North of France. I was finally back to Lille and it was great with many family memories flashing but glad I did it now. Again, hope you enjoy the post on the things to see around the Citadel of Lille as I
And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 