City of Art and History, elegant, sophisticated and vibrant, the capital of French Flanders has a proud heritage. Many battles were fought to control Lille, which specialised in textiles and was strategically located at the crossroads of major trading routes. In 1667, Louis XIV conquered the city and it passed from the Spanish Netherlands to France. The lovely 17 th and 18 th century buildings and monuments of the old city have been carefully restored creating a judicious blend of past and present. Lille is also renowned for its shopping and culture: the Fine Arts Museum here has an impressive collection and the many stores of Lille have a rich diversity of goods, from designer labels and modern shopping malls to unusual boutiques and flea markets.