The Area

This Cultural Atlas presents the cultural structures and facilities situated in an area which is composed of more than 3,1 millions inhabitants covering the Lille, Valenciennes, Douai, Lens et Béthune conurbation in France, and the Courtrai (Kortrijk), Roulers (Roeselare) and Ypres (Ieper) conurbation in Flanders, and Tournai and Mouscron-Comines conurbation in Wallonia.
In France like in Belgium, communes and their conurbation are, for the most, regrouped inside a number of inter-communal structures which are represented (the major ones at least) in the following table.

Map 1 : the area Métropole + MBM : conurbation and major towns.

More generally, this area is situated on the crossroads of three major European capitals : Paris, London et Brussels. It is in the centre of an area containing more than 100 million inhabitants in a radius of 300 kilometres.

Map 2 : the area in the centre of the Paris Brussels London triangle.

Land of welcoming for populations with diverse origins, meeting point between the Latin world et Germanic world, commercial centre and major industrial force in north-west Europe, this area which has been the object of all covetousness since the Middle-Ages, has a great cultural wealth at its disposal.

This wealth is distinguished by the presence of a number of museums with rich collections, the upholding of very strong traditions and is translated today through its cultural vitality visible in its theatres, its artist residences, its art galleries, its concert halls, etc. all these are animated by artists whose talent are renowned beyond the limits of the area.

In 2004, the year when Lille will be the European Capital for Culture, it will be the whole area that will be mobilised and which will spread this cultural wealth.