The suburb of Villeneuve-d'Ascq is a mark of
Lille's cultural ambition: acres of parkland, an old windmill or two,
and a whole series of mini-lakes form the backdrop for the Musée d'Art Moderne
(daily except Tues 10am-6pm; €3.81), which houses an unusually good
collection in its uninviting red-brick buildings. To get there, take
the métro to Pont-de-Bois, then bus #41.
The ground floor
of the museum is generally given over to temporary exhibitions of
varying quality by contemporary French artists. The permanent
collection starts on the first floor with canvases by Picasso, Braque,
Modigliani, Miró and a whole room devoted to Fernand Léger and Georges
Rouault. On the top floor, a small room - easy to miss but worth the
search - contains graphics by many of the above. Meanwhile, outside on
the grass, Giacometti and Calder provide some playful picnic backdrops.
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