Roubaix, Industrial commune in Nord, France
Roubaix is a commune in northern France that forms part of the Lille metropolitan area and sits near the Belgian border along the Canal de Roubaix. The built environment includes former factory buildings in red brick, residential blocks, and redeveloped commercial areas reflecting its earlier industrial era.
The textile industry transformed the town during the 19th century from a small commune into a major production center, with population growing from 25,000 to 122,000 residents before World War I. After the decline of textile factories in the second half of the 20th century, a gradual shift toward services and technology began.
The city carries a Flemish-origin name reflecting its position near the language border, where French and Flemish influences remain visible today. Local markets and shops show this mixture in architecture and daily life, especially in neighborhoods close to the Belgian frontier.
The town is accessible via motorway connections from Lille or Belgium, with public transport within the metropolitan area also available. Walking through former industrial neighborhoods and along the canal offers insight into the urban layout and its evolution.
The Paris-Roubaix cycling race finishes at the municipal velodrome and has used the notorious cobblestone roads of the region since 1896. La Piscine Museum occupies a former art deco swimming pool and displays collections of 19th and 20th-century painting, sculpture, and textile art.
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This collection brings together the 50 most populous cities of France, from the metropolis to overseas territories. It includes the major urban centers shaping the national territory, from Paris with its capital status to regional metropolises like Marseille with its Mediterranean port, Lyon where...
La Piscine
1 km
Eurométropole Lille-Kortrijk-Tournai
1.7 km
Parc Barbieux
2.1 km
Vélodrome André-Pétrieux
2.1 km
Hôtel de ville de Roubaix
557 m
Centre des archives du monde du travail de Roubaix
246 m
Condition publique
560 m
Couvent des Clarisses de Roubaix
1.8 km
Église Saint-Martin de Roubaix
572 m
Église Saint-Joseph de Roubaix
1.8 kmMaison Delcourt
2.1 km
Église Sainte-Thérèse-de-l'Enfant-Jésus de Wattrelos
1.9 km
Manufacture des Flandres Roubaix
1.3 km
Eglise Saint-Jean-Baptiste de Roubaix
1.2 km
Église Notre-Dame de Roubaix
946 m
Église Sainte-Élisabeth de Roubaix
301 m
Couvent de la Visitation de Roubaix
964 m
Église Notre-Dame-de-Lourdes de Roubaix
1.7 km
Protestant church of Roubaix
1 km
Hôtel Auguste-Lepoutre
567 mHôtel Prouvost
946 mWat Phutthabucha
2 km
Église Saint-François de Roubaix
1.3 km
Église Saint-Michel de Roubaix
1.3 km
Église du Saint-Rédempteur de Roubaix
1 km
Hospice Barbieux
1.3 km
Hôtel Motte-Lagache
1 km
Stab Vélodrome
2 kmDiscover hidden gems everywhere you go!
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