Wandering through Lille, have you noticed this bustling street? This is Rue Pierre Mauroy. Honoring Pierre Mauroy, Lille’s mayor from 1973 to 2001 and France’s Prime Minister from 1981 to 1984, it pulses with the city’s vibrant life.
Rue Pierre Mauroy is one of Lille’s oldest thoroughfares. It follows the path of the ancient route to France. This route existed as far back as the 11th century. Imagine travelers from centuries past. They journeyed along this very path. Until 1858, it served as the main road to Lille’s center.
Once upon a time, this street was known as Rue de la Cordwannerie. This name was kept until a leprosarium was constructed. It was called the Bonne Maison des Ladres Bourgeois. This stood near the Porte des Malades. The street then became Rue des Malades. During the French Revolution, the street adopted a new name. It became Rue de Paris. This mirrored the name of the gate at its end.
The buildings on the odd-numbered side from Place du Théâtre to Rue du Molinel faced destruction during World War I. They were rebuilt in the 1920s. They were set back from their original alignment. This widening was especially noticeable south of Parvis St-Maurice. Here, the street expanded from 7 to 16 meters.
However, a fifty-meter stretch between Rue du Molinel and Rue Gustave-Delory maintains its original character. The old buildings on both sides have been carefully preserved. Beyond this section, Rue Pierre Mauroy enters the Saint-Sauveur district. This area was rebuilt around 1960. Yet, some blocks have been preserved. These include houses from the 17th and 18th centuries. The Hôtel de Marchiennes is also located here.
Since December 1, 2017, Rue de Paris has been known as Rue Pierre-Mauroy. This renaming honors the former statesman. Pierre Mauroy served as the Deputy of the North. He was in office from 1973 to 1992. He was also the mayor of Lille.
In the morning of November 12, 2022, tragedy struck. Buildings at numbers 42 and 44 collapsed. An evacuation occurred after a student’s alert. Sadly, one person was found deceased in the rubble of number 42.
Rue Pierre Mauroy is home to remarkable buildings. The Saint-Maurice church stands as one of the first 934 buildings protected as historical monuments. This happened in 1840. The Hospice Gantois is another landmark. It was classified in 1923. Buildings surrounding the hospice also gained classification in 1967. The Hospice Gantois has been transformed into a luxury hotel.
The Hôtel Carlton Lille graces number 3. It is a four-star hotel with fifty-nine rooms. The street also boasts notable houses and buildings. Houses at numbers 34 and 36 are listed historical monuments.
Several groups of buildings have protected roofs and elevations. These include numbers 72 and 74. Numbers 100, 102, 104, 106, 108, and 108 bis also have this protection. The same applies to numbers 112, 114, and 116, as well as numbers 120 and 122.
At number 146 stands the former Hôtel du Cygne. Pierre-Ignace Chavatte mentioned it in 1675. It functioned as an inn in 1820. The Hôtel du Cygne featured an elongated courtyard. It had a secondary entrance. This entrance was through a house on Rue du Molinel. The house disappeared during the street’s reconstruction in 1924.
The Hôtel de Marchiennes stands at number 191. It is classified by decree of November 3, 1958.
Rue Pierre Mauroy is undergoing a transformation. The city aims to create a low-carbon, sustainable environment. The project promotes soft transportation methods. It reinforces the presence of vegetation. The goals include increasing green spaces, improving rainwater absorption, and creating high-quality public areas. The project also seeks to promote walking, cycling, and community engagement.