• On Wednesday, American astronaut Shane Kimbrough gave the inhabitants of Lille a nice gift by posting an exceptional photograph of the city taken from space.

  • Many people, starting with the mayor of Lille, Martine Aubry, thanked the astronaut for this photograph, which is difficult to achieve other than from space.

More beautiful view from above.

On Wednesday, American astronaut Shane Kimbrough gave the inhabitants of Lille a nice gift by posting an exceptional photograph of the city taken from space.

A tenant of the International Space Station (ISS) since last April along with Frenchman Thomas Pesquet, Shane Kimbrough regularly posts photos on social networks, including Twitter.

And Tuesday, the American posted two, including one from Lille, "an adorable city with a rich history," he commented.

Lille, France is a lovely city with a rich history.

In the middle of this photo, you can see a star-shaped structure.

What is now a public park used to be a 17th-century military fort that has withstood the War of the Spanish Succession, the French Revolution, & World War I & II.

pic.twitter.com/ehHlDa1ZAv

- Shane Kimbrough (@astro_kimbrough) July 14, 2021

Martine Aubry invites him to see the city from the mainland

In focus, in the middle of the image, you can't miss the Vauban citadel.

“What is now a public park was once a 17th century military fort that withstood the Spanish Succession War, the French Revolution, and World War I and II,” writes Shane Kimbrough.

Many people, starting with the mayor of Lille, Martine Aubry (PS), thanked the astronaut for this photograph which is difficult to achieve other than from space.

"Thank you very much Shane Kimbrough for this great photo of Lille," tweeted Martine Aubry, adding in English that he was welcome whenever he wanted.

Other Internet users have made a correction to the caption accompanying the photo, specifying that in addition to a public park, the citadel notably housed the headquarters of the Rapid Reaction Corps France (CRR FR).

This is made up of French and foreign soldiers, in particular the American army, of which Shane Kimbrough is a part.

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