At the heart of a vast cross-border conurbation, the City of Lille enjoys the reputation of having an excellent quality of life. The city's rich industrial heritage has left a legacy in terms of buildings and factories, yet there are over 130 hectares of parks and gardens across the city, including a great many small local public gardens, which embellish the urban environment.

Faced with a number of challenges which accompany the attractiveness of the city's status, the municipal authority is striving to ensure that the city remains accessible, preventing the traffic problems present in many other major cities. These problems can be avoided thanks to public transport policies, private vehicle parking strategies and by controlling the flow of city centre traffic. At the same time, the quality of the city's parks and gardens are being developed. The cleanliness of the city is also a priority, as seen in recent initiatives led by City Hall, and this is naturally an issue which implies the involvement of the residents of Lille on an everyday basis.