Villeneuve-d'Ascq

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Villeneuve-d'Ascq (French pronunciation: ​[vilnœvdask]; Picard: Neuvile-Ask) is a commune in the Nord department in northern France. With more than 60,000 inhabitants and 50,000 students, it is one of the main cities of the Métropole Européenne de Lille and the largest in area (27.46 km²) after Lille; it is also one of the main cities of the Hauts-de-France region. Built up owing to the merger between the former communes of Ascq, Annappes and Flers-lez-Lille, Villeneuve-d'Ascq is a new town and the cradle of the first automatic metro system of the world (VAL). Villeneuve-d'Ascq is nicknamed the 'green technopole' thanks to the implantation of many researchers — two campus of the University of Lille; many graduate engineering schools — and companies in a pleasant living environment. Owing to its activity centres, its Haute Borne European scientific park and two shopping malls, Villeneuve-d'Ascq is one of the main economic spots of the Hauts-de-France region; multinational corporations such as Bonduelle, Cofidis and Decathlon have their head office there. Outside its academic, scientific and business facilities, Villeneuve-d'Ascq is mostly known because of its sporting events – two stadiums (Stade Pierre-Mauroy and Stadium Lille Métropole) are located there and some of its sport teams are playing in the top division; its museums – the most famous is the one of modern, contemporary and outsider art (the LaM); its green ways and its medical facilities for disabled people.