_Starting from the Grande Place, cross the Place du Théâtre and take the Rue de la Grande Chaussée, on the left of the Nouvelle Bourse_: 13th and 14th century houses at Nos. 11, 14, 15, 42 and 52. _On the right take the Rue des Chats Bossus and Place du Lion d'or, leave the Place St. Martin on the right, and take the Rue de la Monnaie on the left._ At No. 31 in this street, opens a narrow passage leading to the =Church of Our Lady of the Vine=, which is being erected on the site of the Castle of Buc. When finished, it will be one of the largest of modern Gothic churches. The inhabitants of Lille have already surnamed it "the Cathedral." Building was begun in 1855, from plans by the English architects Clutton and Burges, revised by the Jesuit, Arthur Martin. 13th century in style, the choir, over crypt, is only half-finished, while the remainder of the edifice has not yet been begun.
In the chapel of the apse, over the altar, is a =statue= of Our Lady of the Vine, venerated since the 13th century as the Patron Saint of the town. In a chapel on the left are =plans= and a =model in relief= of the finished basilica.
_Return to the Rue de la Monnaie_, at No. 32 of which is the =Comtesse Hospital=.
The =Comtesse Hospital= was founded in 1243 by Countess Jeanne de Flandre; the entrance dates from 1649, and opens on to a curious vaulted passage. A 15th century gable faces the Rue Comtesse.
Inside are =paintings= by _Arnould de Vuez_ and _Wamps_. The chapel contains fine =timber-work vaulting= and a =commemorative tablet= inscribed with the names of the French officers who died in this hospital of wounds received at the Battle of Fontenoy.
_Follow the Rue de la Monnaie as far as the Place du Concert. Turn to the right as far as the Canal de la Basse Deule_, by the side of which is the =Colonnade= of the Law Courts (1837) _(photo below)_.
[Illustration: THE PALAIS DE JUSTICE AND THE PONT-NEUF]
The Deule is an important river about 40 miles long, which traverses the whole of the coalfields of Northern France, and helps to carry the enormous traffic connected with the metallurgical, cotton, woollen and sugar industries of that region.
_Follow the Deule Quay to the left, to the steps of the Pont Neuf. (If motoring or driving, the tourist will have to go via the Place du Concert, Rue St. André, then taking on the right the Rue du Pont Neuf.)_ The latter crosses the Deule by the =Grand Pont= or =Pont Neuf=, formerly called the Pont Royal. Built in 1701 from plans by the architect Vollant, this bridge connects up the two parallel roads which run alongside the canal. Originally it was composed of six arches, two of which spanned the river, the other four passing over the low-level roads on either bank.