In Roubaix, traces of the once-dominant bourgeoisie are everywhere. This building—I cannot quite determine whether it is an apartment house or a townhouse—still bears the marks of its former prestige. The brickwork is adorned with stone elements, which immediately signal to the observer its higher origins, since stone was rare in the North. By some miracle, the original doors, shutters, and windows have been preserved, carrying on in this façade the art and delicate taste of a time when materials were not standardized and every piece of woodwork was crafted by hand by skilled artisans, now long gone.