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Lille: your gateway to Europe
IESEG School of Management is located in the heart of Lille in Northern France. It is an European metropolis and a city of culture and tradition as well. With 5 European capitals within a 250 km radius, Lille is a strategic cross-road in Northern Europe. High-speed trains (TGV) put downtown Lille 1 hour away from Paris, 1 hour and 40 minutes from London and 40 minutes from Brussels!
With 1.2 million inhabitants, the metropolis of Lille is the third-largest urban area in France. It is renowned for its friendliness and its youthful vitality, thanks to more than 150,000 students.
Lille, a centre for higher education and research
Lille is one of the largest French cities in terms of students, universities, institutes, schools and "Grandes Ecoles" (the elite higher-education centres). The metropolis boasts 340 research laboratories and 4,000 scientists.
The entrepreneurial spirit
Endowed with an ideal geographical position, the Lille Metropolis has naturally become a hub of international trade, as well as a magnet for foreign direct investment.
The region boasts over 500 foreign funded enterprises, including world leaders and household names, such as: ABN AMRO, Bayer, Bridgestone, BASF, Bombardier, BP, Campbell Soup, Coca Cola, Ferruzi, GAP, ICI, Mc Cain, Mölnlycke, Pirelli, Siemens, Toyota, Unilever, US Robotics, and Xerox.
The region is the cradle and home base of major French firms such as Auchan, Bonduelle, La Redoute, or Peaudouce.
More information:
http://www.mairie-lille.fr/
http://www.lilletourisme.com/
http://www.cdt-nord.fr/fr/
Lille and the performing arts
Dozens of theatres and concert halls, over ten professional theatrical companies, ballet, dance and musical formations of all kinds, all support a continuous and varied cultural abundance.
The region’s highlights include the Lille National Orchestra, one of France’s finest philharmonics with 120 performances a year, and a noted Opera with fifteen productions per season.
Whether you are a lover of classical theatre or contemporary dance, a jazz fan or simply fascinated by new musical genres, your only difficulty will be in deciding which performance to attend.
Architectural heritage and museums
Lille has kept many civil and religious buildings from its ten centuries of history; highlights include the Citadelle built by Vauban, the old Stock Exchange, the Grand Place, the Old Town with its amazing sculptures, pink bricks and white stones, and a 13th century hospital which now serves as a museum and a concert hall... Among its many museums and art galleries, Lille prides itself of having France’s second-largest Museum of Fine Arts, a superb 19th century building, home to prestigious collections of European paintings, sculptures and other treasures.The wealth of the Fine Art Museum complements the collections of the Modern Art Museum, the Natural History Museum, numerous art galleries and last, but not least, the city's many architectural jewels.
Nightlife
The exciting and warm atmosphere of the city does not disappear with nightfall. Lille has a large number of bars, cafés, restaurants and movie theatres.
The coolest hangouts are in the Old Town and the Old Halles districts. After dinner, you may check-out the various bars and pubs, in Lille or across the border, in one of Belgium’s much appreciated beer palaces.
Sports and Nature
With more than 800,000 members spread over almost 10,000 clubs, the region demonstrates its attachment to the practice of sports. The Metropolis of Lille alone has more than 350,000 sports club affiliates.
The region is also home to prominent football/soccer and basketball teams, as it hosts international competitions in athletics all year-round.
Last but not least, the region boasts a beautiful natural environment with many seaside resorts and harbours along its 120 kilometres of coastline, lovely rivers and several regional parks.
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