Birthplace of Charles de Gaulle, Historical residence museum in Old Lille, France.
The birthplace of Charles de Gaulle, at 9 rue Princesse in Vieux-Lille, is a two-story townhouse with a pale plastered facade over a grey stone base, red clay roof tiles, dormers and tall white-framed windows. A white sign beside the dark wooden double door reads "Musée Maison Natale de Charles de Gaulle". The house is split in two: the family home and, across an inner garden courtyard, the former tulle workshop of his grandfather, now the "Fabrique d'histoire".
The building belonged to de Gaulle's maternal grandparents and opened as a museum in the early 1980s. It preserves the history of a man who would later lead France, starting from his birthplace.
The house belonged to the Maillot family, textile industrialists; the former tulle factory of Charles de Gaulle's maternal grandfather now forms the "Fabrique d'histoire" cultural centre. Temporary exhibitions are held there, including one titled "De Lille à la Maison-Blanche". The museum also keeps paintings, artworks and furniture linked to de Gaulle's memory.
Plan your visit for Wednesday through Saturday or Sunday when the rooms are open to visitors. It helps to check the opening hours in advance, as they may vary depending on the season.
The former tulle workshop of de Gaulle's maternal grandfather, Jules-Émile Maillot, a textile manufacturer, now forms the "Fabrique d'histoire" cultural centre. It holds a multimedia resource library and a chronological fresco of key dates in de Gaulle's life, plus a teaching space for children aged 6 to 11.
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