Lille Grand Palais is managed by a mixed economy limited company of which 51% is held by the City and the remainder by various other shareholders: the Lille Métropole Chamber of Commerce, the Compagnie Générale de Chauffe (heating), the bank Banque Scalbert Dupont, la Caisse d'Epargne (savings bank), Norexpo, and the tourist office. 

Lille Grand Palais owes its existence to the political determination of Pierre Mauroy, whose objective was to make Lille a major European metropolis. 

The Grand Palais is an essential and necessary tool for the success of the city's international development. Lille Grand Palais was inaugurated in June 1994 (and the Zénith in November 1994). 

Lille Grand Palais, under its President and Director General Dorothée Da Silva, employs a full time staff of 72. 

Functionality, technology and style: no other congress centre in Europe can today offer the breadth of facilities and surface area in a single complex equal to those of Lille Grand Palais. 

Congresses: 
- 3 amphitheatres (to seat 300, 500 and 1,500) 
- 16 meeting rooms (for 10 to 500 persons) 
- 1 hall for lightweight types of exhibitionl (2,500 m2 ) 
- 1 poster area (1,650 m2 )
- 1 banqueting room to seat 1,200 

Exhibitions: 
up to 22,000 m2, modular and divisible into three sections 

Zénith : 5,000 seats (7,000 standing room + seats)

Parking : 1,250 spaces + 3,000 outside spaces

Its triple, modular concept plus all the technical innovations united in a single complex make Lille Grand Palais unique among its kind. 
In addition, it has become a global reference point as far as architecture is concerned. Since its opening, over 4,000 architects from different countries have made a special journey to Lille to visit the complex, and numerous requests for visits continue to be received. 
Lille Grand Palais is above all a European point of reference in the professional event organisation sector, holding an average of 300 events and welcoming over one million visitors each year (congress participants, exhibitors, spectators and visitors). 

Projects concerning Lille Grand Palais are in line with its objectives for development and closely linked with those of the city itself. 

- Lille Grand Palais is among the Top 5 major hospitality structures for professional events in France and is determined to strengthen this position. One of its main objectives is to gain ground on an international scale; today's main target is the Euro-region.
- Work towards expanding the renown of the Club Rendez-Vous Lille Europe. 
- Lille Grand Palais is undergoing major development, and an extension of 10,000 m2 to the exhibition surface area is planned. 
- Following the opening of the permanent exhibition of the "Néruda Theatre" by the artist Kijno, Lille Grand Palais is preparing a patronage programme. This will accompany the dynamics launched by Lille, European Cultural Capital for 2004. 

Lille Grand Palais has been a member of the R.A.F.H.A.E.L. network since the outset, having noted their common objectives: economic promotion plus the development of tourism and culture. 
Lille Grand Palais has taken part in the network's commissions and played an active role in reflections on directions to be taken by the network. 
Finally, Lille Grand Palais has provided constant encouragement towards the network's success. 

Lille Grand Palais
1, bd des Cités-Unies
59777 LILLE - EURALILLE
France
Tél: +33 (0)3 20 14 15 16
Fax: +33 (0)3 20 14 14 14

www.lillegp.com

grand-palais@lillegp.com

The exhibition area
(up to 22,000 m2)

Le Zénith