Beffroi de l'Hôtel de ville de Lille (Belfry of Lille Town Hall), Lille (must see)

The city’s Town Hall belfry, one of the tallest civic belfries in Europe and the tallest municipal building in France, stands as a architectural and symbolic edifice, recalling the civic towers that traditionally represented municipal freedom and authority.

The belfry was inaugurated on October 16, 1932, as part of a project to replace Lille’s former town hall, which was destroyed by an accidental fire in 1916 during the First World War. It was designed by architect Émile Dubuisson, who drew inspiration from the traditional architecture of Lille, particularly the narrow bays and triangular gables of the city’s old Flemish-style houses.

Built of red brick and reinforced concrete, the belfry is slender and modernist, rising beside the broad, monumental Town Hall. Despite their contrasting forms, the two structures create a balanced architectural ensemble. Lille had used several earlier structures as civic belfries. The tower of the medieval aldermen’s hall was partly dismantled in 1601, after which the tower of Saint-Étienne Church served as the city’s belfry until it was destroyed during the siege of 1792. Lille then remained without a municipal belfry until the present tower was built.

The Town Hall and its belfry combine Art Deco design with regional neo-Flemish elements. Dubuisson used reinforced concrete both for structural strength and as a decorative material, molding and treating it to resemble carved stone. Completed between 1929 and 1932, the belfry rises 341 feet.

Visitors can climb 415 steps or use the historic elevator for part of the ascent. Near the summit, an outdoor belvedere protected by safety netting provides a panoramic view across Lille and the surrounding region. The wind can be strong at this height, but the 360-degree view makes the climb an adventure of its own.