Roubaix tells its textile history in different ways: La Piscine combines the former municipal swimming baths with art collections, La Manufacture illustrates textile manufacturing processes, and La Condition Publique is now a space for cultural experimentation. The Hôtel de Ville also reflects the textile industry in its design. You can tailor your exploration to the subject that interests you most—from art and architecture to machinery, accounts and events.
Art and Textile History in Museums and Cultural Venues
La Piscine is housed in Roubaix’s former municipal swimming baths. This connection makes it a distinctive way to explore the city’s history: in the same building, you encounter both its former purpose and a wide range of collections. These include applied and fine art, as well as textiles, sculptures and decorative art. The works on display may change, but the range extends beyond any single field of art.
La Piscine offers self-guided and guided tours, lectures, workshops and concerts throughout the year. You can plan your visit not only around the collections but also around different types of events. Individual activities and dates may change, so check the details if you are interested in a particular offering.
La Manufacture has a different focus. The museum is dedicated to the memory of the textile industry in Roubaix and its surrounding area. Machines operated in front of visitors demonstrate how wool and other fibres are turned into yarn and fabric. The museum also features video testimonies from people who worked in the textile industry. While La Piscine brings together different areas of art, La Manufacture focuses on the manufacturing process and the people who worked in textiles.
La Condition Publique also brings together past and present, but with its own distinct focus. From 1902 to 1912, it was a facility for processing wool, silk and cotton. Today, it serves as a venue for artistic and cultural experimentation. Its year-round programme includes events, concerts and exhibitions; check individual dates before planning your visit. Here, industrial use and contemporary cultural activity stand side by side as two distinct chapters.
Architecture and a Different Perspective on Roubaix
The Hôtel de Ville de Roubaix covers 6,150 m² and has an almost 100-metre-long façade. Its monumental, eclectic design is complemented by numerous sculptures and decorative details. These motifs refer to the textile industry and the values of work. If you want to explore Roubaix’s history not only through manufacturing processes but also through architecture, this offers another perspective: the town hall’s design reflects the city’s industrial heritage.
Parc Barbieux offers a contrast to museums and buildings. Its notable features include remarkable trees, children’s playgrounds and a boules court. When choosing what to see, you can consider the park as a focus in its own right alongside the cultural programme, without conflating it with museums that have different themes. Park facilities may change; check them before your trip if a particular amenity is important to you.
Street Art: A Walking Tour or a Vertical Route
Two different forms of street art are also described. The 2024–2025 edition of the Roubaix Tourisme street-art map features an approximately 4.5 km walking route around La Piscine. Dép’Art Urbain, by contrast, is a vertical street-art tour through the Gare de Roubaix car park, leading up to the roof. The two offerings therefore differ in their format: the map gives an approximate walking-route length, while Dép’Art Urbain takes you up through the car park. Plan for specific events and activities in Roubaix using their respective dates.
When choosing where to stay, it can help to first decide what interests you most: do you want to focus on collections and art, textile manufacturing processes, architecture or street art? The places described offer different themes, but not a single, uniform cultural experience. Choosing according to your interests can help you find a hotel that suits your planned stay in Roubaix.
Discover more destinations: La Creche, Bollezeele, Gommegnies, Fontaine-Notre-Dame, Vicq, Godewaersvelde, Steenbecque, Saint-Pierre-Brouck.
View the regional travel guide: Nord.
