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To dyed in the wool cyclists, there is only one side to Roubaix. The famous cobblestones, the race, and the outdoor velodrome – officially Vélodrome André-Pétrieux – this is Roubaix. However, there is another side to the northern French town, a hotbed of the textile industry during the industrial revolution.
The former glory of Roubaix is seen in the town’s art gallery, La Piscine, hosted in what was once a stunning art deco swimming pool, built to provide the town’s workers with futuristic sanitation. Turned into a museum in 2000, the venue provided the setting for the launch of Van Rysel-Roubaix last week, the French Continental team from the region.
