Impasse des Anglais

Did the name Rue des Actionnaires ever spark your curiosity? Here on this short, sloping street in Lyon’s Croix-Rousse district, a tale of speculation and city planning unfolds. Rue des Actionnaires, barely thirty meters long, stretches between Rue Eugène-Pons and Rue Mascrany. Its very existence whispers of a financial venture from the Restoration period. A company of “actionnaires,” shareholders, sought to develop the Saint-Eucher quarter. Rue des Actionnaires emerged as part of their ambitious plan. Imagine Lyon in the 1830s. The slopes of Croix-Rousse were being carved into streets, a chaotic yet charming development. Landowners, eager for profit, drew lines on maps, sometimes ignoring existing roads or their neighbors’ plans. The Rue des Actionnaires, documented as early as 1849, reflects this era of rapid urbanization. Interestingly, the street briefly bore the name “Rue du Tribun” during the Second Republic, before reverting to Rue des Actionnaires in 1852. This fleeting name change provides a glimpse into the political currents of the time. The surrounding street names offer no clues to the shareholders’ company. Rue Eugène-Pons, formerly Rue de Dijon, commemorates the city’s resistance in the Franco-Prussian War. Rue Mascrany, named after a family of bankers, had its own series of name changes, including Jean-Bart, Spartacus, and Camille-Jordan. At the foot of Rue des Actionnaires lies Rue Joséphin-Soulary, once known as Rue des Gloriettes, “little houses, simple cabins surrounded by a garden.” Today, Rue des Actionnaires presents a scene of quiet charm. The imposing Saint-Eucher church, built in 1803, stands watch. A small playground offers a touch of whimsy. The “terrain Eugène-Pons” completes the picture, a reminder of the area’s layered past. Rue des Actionnaires, a quiet street with a dynamic story.