Ever wondered how a simple street in Lyon could whisper tales of Roman roads, royal visits and a legacy stretching back centuries? Welcome to Rue de Bourgogne. This isn’t just another street. It’s a journey through time etched in stone and asphalt.
Rue de Bourgogne begins at Place Valmy. It stretches northwest to Rue Saint Simon. Some say it continues to Porte de Vaise, marked by a plaque for the 25th RTS.
Cars flow towards Place Valmy on two lanes. Buses have their own contraflow lane. After Rue de la Corderie, traffic flows both ways. Rue de Bourgogne can get quite congested. Drivers use it to reach the périphérique or the old route to Bourgogne. This heads towards Champagne and the north.
Take a look at the corner of Rue Roquette. It’s a small garden with benches. Across from it, the library sports metal stripes over a metal-tiled curve. It leans against a small four-story concrete building with yellow bricks.
The street then passes between old houses. They are two to three stories high. Number 6 has a balcony dating back to 1841. Some have porches opening onto courtyards.
At number 14, the Horlogerie de la Pyramide displays a clock sign. It sits in a one-story stone house connected to a workshop.
Before the intersection of Rues de la Corderie and Chinard, the unity breaks. A parking lot joins them to the west. The Voirin garage opens under a wide pediment. Beside it, a small Virgin and Child statue resides in a niche. To the west, a newer, taller building with a pointed roof stands before Rue Nérard. It faces a small square. The Théâtre Nouvelle Génération, dating from 1933, stands isolated. Its high building curves to Rue Tissot. A well-renovated house with a pediment faces this square.
The street picks up again with a more imposing alignment on the west. Buildings from the 1900s sport projecting balconies. Before Rue de la Claire, two old houses stand separated by a courtyard. A beautiful iron gate guards an atelier at the back. The pointed roof of number 35 seems to inspire the new building before Rue Nérard. On the east side, the alignment is less continuous. The car repair shop before Rue de la Claire reveals the Assomption church steeple.
Rue de Bourgogne then passes under the railway bridge. Several stone pillars are visible around it.
The east side is no longer built up. It forms part of the station’s perimeter. This is behind the parking lot and car rental shelter. Opposite, a courtyard appears. Then a second one before number 47, with its fine stone window frames and side door. After that, a row of simple four-story buildings lines the street.
Beyond Rue Saint Simon, a very wide five-lane section climbs to the Porte de Vaise roundabout. A slip road enters the station. A sign attributes this part to Avenue du 25e RTS.
Its name comes from the fact that Rue de Bourgogne led to Bourgogne. It was a royal road, later Route Nationale 6.
Designed before the late 18th century, under intendant Flesselles, the street followed a path to Paris. It likely followed a Roman road.
At number 51, a plaque commemorates Jean Jaurès’ peace speech on July 25, 1914. It was his last. Gabriel Gauthier, born at number 31 in 1916, became an air force chief of staff. He died in 1996.
The archaeologist found traces of a Roman road from the 1st century AD. They also found an ancient necropolis at 30-32 Rue de Bourgogne.
Benier Chocolats, founded in 1828, is the oldest business here.
The Voies Lyonnaises project significantly changed the circulation of the sector. The Metropolis of Lyon created two bus-bike lanes on the Rue de Bourgogne between the Rue du 24 mars and the Rue de la Corderie.
So, as you walk along Rue de Bourgogne, remember you’re walking a path of emperors and kings. Imagine the merchants traveling to Lyon with their Ânée of Burgundy wine. Picture Jaurès delivering his final plea for peace. This street isn’t just a route. It’s a story waiting to be discovered.