Over the five years of the commemoration, the Archives du Nord site has followed step by step, at a distance of a century, the events of the Great War in the department.

The year 1914, which inaugurated the conflict, was the deadliest; it saw the setting in place of the conditions for a long, lasting and murderous confrontation, during which two-thirds of the department was occupied.

Each year of commemoration follows a privileged common thread: occupation and resistance in 1915-1916, life and suffering of the populations in 1916-1917, and liberation and reconstruction in 1917-1918.

It is possible to navigate the site by different entries: by the dates of major events, by places, by people. So everyone can find the headquarters of Lille by following the geographical entry or by using the chronology instead. Some themes can be cross-cutting: children, women, the globalization of conflict… The biographies highlight prominent personalities, but and perhaps above all anonymous people, who were the first victims of the war.

As much as possible, it is about allowing everyone to build their own path and forge their own history. Most of the documents presented are kept at the Archives du Nord. However, it has sometimes appeared necessary to resort to other sources: printed books, archives of other institutions.