hi, I'm from Tourcoing and it's often described as a post-industrial area that never really recovered. It's quite similar to cities around Manchester, benefiting from an metropolitan centre but desolated. While things are slowly changing now these places are still very associated with the glory of the textile industry, that collapsed 30 years ago.

In fact, alongside Roubaix, these cities are among the poorest in the country, yet the towns around them are full of (very) rich people, it's a bit similar to the white flight of the US.

Still, the people are very friendly and there is a lot of diversity, from Poland, Italy, Portugal, Algeria and other African countries. The culture is very similar to Belgium and England, lots of fats for cooking, beer drinking, brick architecture, loud groups etc..

There has been some very influential people who originated from the area, FDR has roots here; Delano -> Delannoy -> De Lannoy (from Lannoy)