Opened in 1961, the Avenue du Président John-Fitzgerald Kennedy stands as a testament to remembrance and urban renewal. This avenue in Lille wasn’t always here. It emerged from the renovation of the Saint-Sauveur neighborhood. The avenue’s creation led to the disappearance of older streets.
Named in 1964, the Avenue du Président John-Fitzgerald Kennedy honors President Kennedy. He was assassinated in 1963. This act of naming serves as a lasting tribute to his memory. It connects Lille to a global moment of mourning.
Before the Avenue du Président John-Fitzgerald Kennedy existed, several streets occupied this space. The creation of the avenue resulted in the disappearance of parts of the Rue de la Vignette. Also gone are the Rue du Bois-Saint-Sauveur, the Rue des Robleds, the Rue de Poids, the Rue Lottin, and the Ruelle Jeannette à Vaches. The Place Wicar vanished too. Imagine the transformation.
The Avenue du Président John-Fitzgerald Kennedy also led to the disappearance of buildings. Structures on Rue de Paris and Rue Saint-Sauveur were lost. Among them was the Nord Matin newspaper headquarters. It featured a small bell tower topped with a rooster.
Today, the Avenue du Président John-Fitzgerald Kennedy stretches 750 meters. It is 20 meters wide. It links Rue de la Vignette near Place Gentil Muiron to Boulevard Émile-Dubuisson. The avenue intersects with Rue Pierre-Mauroy and Rue Saint-Sauveur. It meets Rue du Croquet and Rue des Moulins de Garance. It crosses the Porte de Tournai.
The Avenue du Président John-Fitzgerald Kennedy passes between the Cité administrative and the postal check building. Boulevard Émile-Dubuisson is part of a former highway bypass. The bypass was created in 1956. It became an urban boulevard after the ring road opened in 1998.
Not many shops line the avenue. Instead, you’ll find residential buildings from the early 1960s. There are administrative buildings too. These include the Direction régionale des Finances publiques, the Hôtel du département, the regional headquarters of INSEE, and the Cité administrative.
The Square Augustin Laurent borders the Avenue du Président John-Fitzgerald Kennedy. The Wicar nursery school is here too. Its name recalls the lost Place Wicar. The Palais des Sports also stands along the avenue.
The Mairie de Lille metro station serves the Avenue du Président John-Fitzgerald Kennedy. This makes it easily accessible.
Think about the layers of history beneath your feet. As you walk along the Avenue du Président John-Fitzgerald Kennedy, remember the streets and buildings that once stood here. This avenue is more than just a road. It’s a symbol of change, remembrance, and urban development in Lille.