Rue Maurice Bellemain

On a crisp autumn day in Lyon, a peculiar sight greets you on Rue Maurice Bellemain. A brand new concrete structure rises, juxtaposing the older, geometric lines of the existing buildings. Rue Maurice Bellemain isn’t just a street. It’s a snapshot of Lyon’s evolving urban landscape. Opened in 1971, Rue Maurice Bellemain was purposely built to provide access to the growing social housing projects. Originally designed as a straight, uphill road between rows of parked cars, it now reflects the ongoing renovation and exterior insulation efforts of 2023. The street is bordered on one side by a wall shielding a residence composed of long, geometric blocks. The other side of Rue Maurice Bellemain offers a more open view. From here, you can glimpse parking lots and gardens belonging to a large residential complex. This complex includes towering structures, one reaching sixteen stories high. If you look north from Rue Maurice Bellemain, you can spot the iconic dome of Mont Verdun. And if you venture past the last large apartment building on the south side, you’ll discover an archway. This archway leads to a footpath winding through a wooded area up to Parc de la Garde, creating a car-free haven. But who was Maurice Bellemain? The street is named after a prominent figure in social economics. Born in Lyon in 1881, Maurice Bellemain directed the Lyon branches of the savings bank and the Lyon social housing organization. He passed away in Villette de Vienne in 1961. Interestingly, he hailed from a family of architects. His grandfather, Philibert Bellemain, designed several houses in Lyon during the 1860s. His father, Marie André Félix Bellemain, also an architect, designed notable buildings like the École Normale, the École Jean Pierre Veyet, and the Caisse d’Épargne. Maurice’s brother, Paul Bellemain, continued the family tradition, designing the Auguste Lumière clinic, the nursing school, and the faculty of medicine. He even became the director of the École des Beaux-Arts. A small monument featuring a medallion with Maurice Bellemain’s profile can be found near the intersection with Avenue Barthélémy Buyer, a subtle tribute to the man whose name now graces this ever-changing street.