In 2003, the Lille freight station was closed, leaving a 23-hectare brownfield in the middle of Lille. 6 years later, some of the halls on the site have been rehabilitated. The aim of this was to provide spaces and free activities adapted to people from different generations.
In the same vein, 2018 saw the start of the management of a new transitional development: the Cours St-so. Covering an area of 2 hectares, the Cours Saint-So is part of a new way of making the city that has been underway in Europe for almost a decade. Open from April to October, in the afternoons and evenings, this huge open-air leisure area is a great place for the people of Lille to meet up with family and friends and share convivial moments. Mostly attended by the middle class in its early days, the Cours is now attended by individuals from a wide variety of backgrounds.
The site includes :
- self-service barbecues
- a refreshment bar in an old red double-decker bus and a food truck.
- the "régie", a counter use the lend barbecue equipment and games. The loan of all these items is free of charge, provided you lend your ID card as a guarantee.
This open-air space also hosts a variety of sporting and cultural events, including yoga classes, creative workshops and concerts..
Initiated by the City of Lille, the Cours St-So is supported by the SPL Euralille and the Lille Métropole.
Day-to-day management is carried out by an external association. The site is managed by 6 people who generally work in pairs. Two people are assigned to the bar, two are in charge of the régie and two others go where they are needed. A security team is also present at the entrance, in security booths, to ensure that no alcohol or dangerous objects are brought onto the site (3 people).
Since it opened in 2018, the Cours St-So has attracted more and more Lillois every year (except for covid years), with a marked increase at the start of the 2023 season. Last year, they welcomed 80,000 people in 5 months. In the very first months of the 2023 season, the Cours St-So recorded more than double the number of visitors compared to the previous year.
