Classified as a city of "Art et Histoire" since 2004, Lille has conserved a large number of buildings and monuments, both secular and religious, which remain as signs of its illustrious past. These include the Citadelle park and fortress, a beautiful example of 17th century military architecture, designed by Vauban; the Vieille Bourse, a reminder of the Spanish occupation of the region as well as the marriage of the French and Flemish cultures; the Grand Place, focal point of life in Lille, with its "Déesse" statue, symbolising the resistance against the Austrians in 1792; the Porte de Paris; and also the rue de la Monnaie where coins were minted so many years ago…Keep your eyes open