Villa Cavrois, Croix (Roubaix)

Villa Cavrois is one of those monuments you can visit and revisit regularly without ever getting tired of it … the magnificent architectural lesson from the first visit then gives way to a less exalted but almost more delicious contemplation. You linger over the details, over the forward-thinking techniques or the proportion of the volumes and the bays … You start dreaming about one day being given such a blank check (and having the talent to make such brilliant use of it) … or about being the lucky winner of a jackpot that would have allowed a young creative to shine. The place benefits from remarkable dynamism and the progress made since the French state rescued the building is simply mind-blowing. Even today, acquisitions and restorations are still happening regularly. An absolute must for anyone passing through this great region who cares even a little bit about the quality of their built environment.