Alright here we are on Rue du Long Pot. Ever wondered about a street named after a long pot? It sounds like something straight out of a fairy tale. But the story behind this Lille street is more grounded in history.
Rue du Long Pot is found in the Fives neighborhood. It stretches 1,100 meters connecting different parts of the district. The street’s history dates back to 1845. The Northern Railway Company created it. This was to serve the first extra muros station. It was located at Mont-de-Terre. This predated the opening of the main station.
Before its official creation, the area had other names. It was known as the “new road from Valenciennes via Motte Thomas”. This might have been to distinguish it from the “old road from Valenciennes”. This “old road” was an extension of Rue de Valenciennes in Moulins. These roads came about after access to Lille via the Saint-Sauveur gate was cut off. The gate was walled up in 1575. This happened after a gunpowder depot exploded.
Interestingly, the name Rue du Long-Pot appeared even earlier. It was on the 1829 cadastre near Route de Tournai. It also appeared as “Chemin du Long-Pot”. This connected to the “old road to Valenciennes”. This was just north of the Mont-de-Terre area.
The street got its name from a cabaret. The cabaret existed when the street was officially named in 1853. However, the name was in use even before. The 1829 cadastre already marked it as Rue du Long-Pot.
Until the late 1850s, Fives was a recreational area outside Lille. Rue du Long Pot was mainly developed at its northern end. This was near the road from Paris to Tournai. An ephemeral leisure spot called “Le Pré Catelan” briefly existed. It was at the corner of Rue du Long-Pot and Rue des Processions. This establishment closed in 1863.
Fives became an industrial hub after its annexation to Lille in 1858. The Fives metal construction plant opened. Houses lined the entire Rue du Long-Pot. They were built in the 1860s and 1870s. The Mont-de-Terre district grew around Saint-Louis Church.
From 1906 to 1960, tram line V ran through the street. It connected Place Catinat to Le Buisson. Later, bus line 7 replaced it.
During World War II in 1944, the southern part of the street suffered destruction. Bombings aimed at the railway installations devastated houses. The Mont-de-Terre area near the railway was hit hard. Reconstruction occurred in the 1950s. Identical townhouses of one or two stories were built.
Today, Rue du Long Pot is a moderately important transit route. It runs through a deindustrialized residential area. There are few shops here. The Lakanal-Madame Campan school complex is located here. It is between Rue du Long-Pot, Rue du Vieux-Moulin, Rue Dupuytren and Rue Francisco Ferrer. So, while the origin of the name might be humble, the street’s story reflects Lille’s evolving history.