Palais Des Beaux Arts de Lille

The Palace of Fine Arts is a must-visit museum if you are visiting the city of Lille. It is a lovely palace of the Belle Epoque and Napoleon ordered the construction in the late nineteenth century. The Emperor created several major museums in the largest cities of France. The museum had been renovated before Lille become a European City of Culture in 2003, and is located in Republic Square, five minutes walk from the old center. Napoleon wanted the most beautiful works of art to be accessible to the public, instead of being stored in the palaces of aristocrats and archbishops. As the empire expanded, he maintained this policy and had many works of art transported to France.

It is gorgeous and the museum is worth the visit.