La Manufacture de Roubaix

The basics

The Manufacture des Flandres Roubaix is located on the site of a former weaving company called the Craye Company, once famous for its woven fabrics and velvet carpets. In 2015, a museum opened to commemorate the industry and honor its workers. In addition to personal interviews with people making and working in textiles, the museum gives an overview of how the industry has changed over the centuries, from medieval-era hand-operated looms to today’s computer-assisted machines.

Things to know before you go

• Full-price admission tickets cost €6. However, children and teens aged 8-18, students, and job-seekers can enter for €4. Entry is free for children under 8, and for everyone during the first Sunday of each month.

• If you plan on visiting the Piscine Museum as well, special combination tickets are available to buy at the museum.

• There is a guided 1-hour tour available (only for French speakers) that explains the history of weaving and shows a weaving demonstration. No reservations are needed.

• Independent visitors can find special videos and archive images viewable using either a personal smartphone or a borrowed tablet at special spots throughout the museum.

• The museum boutique has textiles for sale, as well as jewelry, sewing products, and artisanal goods, plus a bookshop and haberdasher.

• There’s an on-site café with free Wi-Fi and children’s games.

How to get there

La Manufacture des Flandres Roubaix is located in the center of Roubaix, a small city just outside of Lille. By metro or tram, take the Eurotéléport then ride Bus Liane Line 3 in the direction of Leers La Plaine. Get off at La Manufacture stop. By private car, simply follow signs toward La Manufacture.

When to get there

The museum is open to the public from Tuesday to Sunday, from lunchtime to early evening. Guided tours are offered in French every day Tuesday to Friday at 3pm, and on holidays and weekends at 3pm and again at 4:30pm. Morning tours can also be organized upon request for private groups.

Exploring Art Deco Roubaix at the Piscine Museum

It may sound like a museum dedicated to the history of swimming pools. But actually, the Piscine Museum is an art museum housed within a former Art Deco-era municipal swimming pool. Known for its textile collection, the museum also contains works from Picasso, Rodin, and Chagall in its permanent collection, as well as seasonal temporary exhibits from modern and contemporary artists.