French language centres in Lille
The Nord Pas de Calais region is a hotbed of French literature. Proletarian destinies soar above industrial sagas, and the union battles the bank for capital gains. Texts that tell of misery and tragedy, often, but also of the solidarity shown by the “people of the North”. From Emile Zola to Victor Hugo, from Georges Simenon to Didier Daeninckx, classic or contemporary, dark and luminous books like the beaches of the North Sea.
A party without end, or almost. For 350 years, the people of Dunkirk and the surrounding region have been greeting Mardi Gras in their own colorful, noisy, joyful, exuberant way. In days gone by, we celebrated the sailors who set sail for the Icelandic fishing grounds; today, it’s you who’ll be dressed as a herring. Parades of brass bands, pub crawls, folk dances, prepare yourself for several days out of this world – in moderation, if possible.
The coalfield, the corons, the tiles, the coal. Coal, in fact. Centuries of extraction of the precious ore have shaped a unique landscape that has been preserved to this day. Huge slag heaps, mining company offices, railroads, headframes, religious buildings, sports facilities – all bear witness to a past industrial model. All 109 sites are [Unesco World Heritage sites>>https://whc.unesco.org/fr/list/1360/gallery/].
Of course, the tradition is Belgian. But here in Lille, capital of Nord-Pas-de-Calais, moules-frites are also at home. The recipe for moules frites, à la marinière, is the most widespread. Cooked in wine, shallots, parsley and butter, they’re a real treat. As for the fries, local shopkeepers know what they’re doing. Convivial, it’s one of France’s favorite dishes, with no fuss or snobbery, just finger-licking goodness.
