
Lille Metropole
where Northwest Europe meets
Where north western Europe meets
Lille Metropole is perfectly situated at the crossroad of Northwest Europe, between Brussels (35min by train), Paris (1h) and London (1h20) and within three to four hours from Amsterdam, Strasbourg or Frankfurt. This ideal position, at the heart of a rich and densely populated (80 M people) basin is a huge economical asset for Lille Metropole.
A cross-border eurometropolis
It is also sharing 86 km of border with its Belgian neighbour, making it an essential partner as evidenced by the Lille-Kortrijk-Tournai Eurometropole, one of the first and largest EGTC (European Grouping of Territorial Cooperation) in Europe with 2 millions inhabitants.
A large urban and rural metropole
Lille Metropole encompasses 95 municipalities and 1.1 million inhabitants in a territory that is both rural and urban, made up of cities like Lille (230,000 inhabitants), Roubaix and Tourcoing (100,000 each) and smaller towns and villages. Due to this broad diversity of territories, the metropolitan authority is confronted with a variety of challenges regarding urban development, use of land and environmental protection, employment and social inclusion, housing, mobility, food or culture.

2nd university
centre in France
3 museums
ranking among the 10 best in France
35 %
under 25 years old

A strong and plural identity
Lille Metropole is an area that is both urban and rural where nature and agriculture mix with industry and high tech, where art and architecture mix with digitalization, where culture reaches all neighborhoods. It is a very dynamic hub, home to many science and technology parks such as Eurasanté, one of the major hospital and health research centres in Europe. Moreover, its economy rests upon historical and innovative business sectors whose built heritage legacy now houses successful incubators for startups like Euratechnologies. The designation of Lille Metropole as World Design Capital 2020 is another proof of the territory's capacity to reinvent itself by using design and creative methodologies to drive its economic, social, environmental and urban development.
A vibrant and young city
With one of the youngest population in France, Lille Metropole is also endowed with some of the best universities and engineering and business colleges counting more than 110,000 students. Therefore, the wide cultural offering, the museums and their prestigious collections, the exceptional sporting events and the numerous innovative hubs keep reinforcing the urban region's attractivity. Lille Metropole provides Europe with the best assets it has to offer and moves each day forward to lead to future benefits for its companies and inhabitants.
Lille Metropole & the European Union
Lille Metropole has been strongly committed in the European project for many years.
Its designation as the European Capital of Culture for 2004 triggered off a new cultural, economic and social momentum enhancing its long industrial transition.
A solid cross-border cooperation with its Belgium neighbours, embodied since 2009 by Lille / Kortrijk / Tournai Eurometropole, the management of a large ERDF funded ITI (integrated territorial investment), or its partnership in different European projects (Civitas, Interreg, Erasmus +, UIA, ...) are strong signals of its European commitment, which was reinforced in 2017 with the creation of its Brussels based EU Office.
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Lille Metropole European territorial Cooperation
Lille Metropole has always been deeply involved in the European project and has always been keen on cooperating with the European institutions as well as with other European cities and regions.
Moreover, Lille Metropole European commitment has been greatly enhanced in 2018 with the creation of its permanent delegation in Brussels which represents Lille Metropole interests to the European Union and broaden Lille Metropole European influence and cooperation possibilities.
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Lille Metropole EU Office
Since 2018, Lille Metropole EU Office has been connecting Lille Metropole administration, municipalities and local partners with the EU Institutions, and the whole Brussels EU bubble: city networks, thematic EU representations, European cities and regions EU offices.
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15/03/2021Challenging citizens: a way to change behavioursInhabitants are the main actors and decision-makers in society. That’s why, working on their eco-friendly behaviours can have a real influence.
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12/03/2021A new Climate and Energy Transition Plan for Lille Metropole.Lille Metropole has just adopted its second Climate Plan to accelerate the achievement of the objectives of the Paris Agreement and to improve air quality and well-being of its inhabitants.
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12/03/2021Call of projects : « Sport en entreprise »After the success last year of the call for projects « Sporting object and connected stadium », Lille Metropole and its partners are launching a new call for projects called « Sport en entreprise ».
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12/03/2021A new plan to reduce noise pollutionAs for many other European cities, noise pollution remains a major challenge to tackle for Lille Metropole. A new noise plan will help set up ambitious actions.
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08/03/2021A more sustainable management of rainwater for a better quality of lifeLille Metropole regulates and promotes alternative stormwater management techniques that help combat the impacts of climate change and achieve the objectives of the Green City Accord.
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08/03/2021Using waste to breath betterThanks to its new metropolitan heating network supplied by the waste-to-energy center of Halluin, the city of Lille has closed its last coal-fired heat plant on the 18th of January 2021.
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08/03/2021MobiliMEL, a mobility platform to help professional integrationMobiliMel is a platform which help remove mobility obstacles in order to facilitate employment opportunities and job retention for people on their way to work.
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08/03/2021Engaging students to monitor air qualityAir quality affects greatly the health of citizens, especially in urban areas.
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08/03/2021Lille Metropole signs the Green City AccordOn the 19th of February, Lille Metropolitan Council officially agreed to sign the Green City Accord.
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08/03/2021TEC! : Raising awareness on biodiversity among citizensPreserving the environment and restoring biodiversity can only be done through European cooperation and by involving all local stakeholders.
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08/01/2021Recovering dredged canal sediments for public worksSEDIMEL, an innovative ERDF funded project which experiments the recovery of sediments as new raw materials for public works, in a green and circular way.
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06/01/2021Accelerating Lille Metropole digital transitionIn the view to nurture its strategy, Lille Metropole invited Khalil ROHANNA, deputy Director General at DG CNCT, to share insights in the new european digital policies, during the ICC Launch event.