Fodor's Expert Review Vieille Bourse

Lille's finest efforts in architecture can be witnessed at the Old Stock Exchange in the heart of the old city. Built in the mid-17th century as the result of bankers' and traders' petitions for a more comfortable business environment than the previously open-air location, the building rose in grand fashion, adopting a Flemish Renaissance design laden with elaborate reliefs, cherubs, and garlands. Today, the central courtyard, wrapped by 24 houses and connecting arcades, is home to secondhand bookshops, florists, and chess competitions. In summer, tango dancers join the mix.