La Manufacture de Roubaix
Plunge straight into Flander’s textile history at this historic manufacture located right outside of Lille. A professionally-trained guide explains visitors how textile is created from mere wool, how the different machines work, telling the story of these men and women who dedicated their lives to their craft. Seven 10-minute-long videos depict the ambiance of the manufacture, exploring different aspects of textile making. As a museum of its time, La Manufacture de Roubaix not only recounts the history of local textiles but also exploits the concepts of eco-friendly performances, local markets and innovative techniques, which are all essential to a sustainable production nowadays.
Practical Info
La Manufacture des Flandres is located on avenue Julien Lagache in Roubaix, just east of Lille. It is not accessible by public transit, but it can be reached by car in 25 minutes via routes D14 and D6D. The museum is open between 2 and 6pm between Tuesday and Sunday, when guided visits are available. It is closed in January. Entry costs €6 per adult and €4 per child. The museum offers classes every Saturday morning, where a local professional shows different techniques related to textiles, like knitting, jewelry making and weaving. Visitors get to learn a new skill, and leave with their creation at the end of the class.
Trip ideas
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- Lille Cathedral (Cathédrale Notre-Dame-de-la-Treille)
- Lille Old Town (Vieux Lille)
- Lille Town Hall and Belfry (Beffroi de l'Hôtel de Ville de Lille)
- Grand Place
- Lille Natural History Museum (Musée d'Histoire Naturelle de Lille)
- Lille Museum of Fine Arts (Palais des Beaux Arts de Lille)