Is it just me or does Lyon Part-Dieu hum with ambition? Lyon Part-Dieu is a district in Lyon. It is in the 3rd arrondissement. It is France’s second-largest tertiary district. Only La Défense in Greater Paris is bigger. Lyon Part-Dieu also holds Lyon’s primary railway station.
But how did this place called Lyon Part-Dieu get its name? Some say it comes from saving land from the Rhone’s waters. Others say Guillaume de Fuer named his land “Pardeu”. A final theory states that Marc-Antoine Mazenod gave his land to Hôpital-Dieu Public Hospitals. He called it “Gift from God” after his daughter’s miraculous recovery.
Before the 1850s, Lyon Part-Dieu was rural flood zones. The Mazenod-Servient family ceded it to the Hôpital-Dieu de Lyon Public Hospitals in 1737. The Rhone embankment and bridges led to urbanization from 1772. By the late 18th century, Lyon Part-Dieu was a large estate near Brotteaux and Guillotière.
In 1844, Public Hospitals sold land to the military. Cavalry barracks were built from 1851 to 1863. However, urbanization was limited. Lafayette street was the only road connecting Lyon Part-Dieu to Central Lyon. The district joined Lyon in 1852. To link Lyon with Geneva, Gare des Brotteaux was designed. Military units were mobilized during World War I.
After World War II, France rebuilt housing and pushed for economic development. The military compound became part of a housing estate project. In 1960, the French State sold the lands to SERL. This transformation occurred right in the middle of the city.
The program evolved under Mayor Pradel. It pushed for housing, an administrative center, and private office space. The winning architectural project followed the Athens Charter. This promoted separating human and car flow. Concrete structures allowed car supremacy below. Overhead architecture stood on reinforced concrete stilts. However, only a third of the planned structures were built at Lyon Part-Dieu.
Urbanist Charles Delfante and Jean Zumbrunnen drafted a management plan. It included commercial, tertiary, and cultural activities. The goal was to compete with Paris and other international cities. A central train station was planned. The SNCF refused to fund it.
The 1970s oil shocks altered the project. Profitability became the main concern. Pedestrians were alienated. This was due to the central mall expansion. Vehicle transport was favored over public transit. Concrete pedestrian bridges isolated architectures into islands. Nevertheless, several iconic structures were elevated during this decade. These included the Municipal Library in 1972, the Mall and Auditorium in 1975, and Tour Part-Dieu in 1977.
In 1974, the old Brotteaux station was transferred to Lyon Part-Dieu. In 1983, France’s first high-speed rail TGV line opened between Lyon and Paris. Large urban roads kept the business district isolated.
Lyon Part-Dieu’s expansion slowed in the 1990s. The City Council minimized car travel. It encouraged public transit. It also wished to establish a European business district.
This district of 21000 inhabitants developed on both sides of the railway. It is mostly made up of high-rise and low-rise architecture. The original project was based on La Défense urban planning model.
Urban planners aim at preventing urban heat island effects. They achieve this thanks to green spaces. Lyon Part-Dieu also offers plazas, gardens, and a park.
Lyon Metropolis is headquartered in Lyon Part-Dieu. It concentrates hundreds of civil workers.
Lyon Part-Dieu is more than just buildings and businesses. It is a testament to Lyon’s ever-evolving spirit. It balances history with modernity. It strives to be a vibrant hub.