“Did you know that Boulevard de Balmont owes its name to the Montée de Balmont?” It also lends its name to a part of this very district. Let me tell you more about this intriguing boulevard.
Boulevard de Balmont begins as an extension of the lower part of Boulevard de la Duchère. It ascends northwards making a wide curve west. The boulevard ends at the edge of Lyon. It meets Avenue de Champagne and Avenue Schoelcher. You will find yourself opposite the Duchère water tower.
This boulevard cuts across the eastern flank of the Duchère hill. It overlooks a wood in the Balme. You can also see the Vaise district with the Croix-Rousse and Fourvière hills on the horizon.
Many buses travel along Boulevard de Balmont. These include lines 21, 36, 44, 66, and 89. Departmental coaches also use this route. Some emerge from the tunnel connecting the boulevard to Vaise station.
The first building at the corner of Boulevard de la Duchère was under construction in 2009. It is a double concrete structure with varying heights. This contrasts sharply with the crane tracks from the previous construction era. In 2017 a neighboring building was constructed. This is a double stepped building following the slope. It features an opening onto the greenery between the two structures.
The area beyond is sparsely built. The slab of the MJC community center dominates this section. A staircase provides access to it. Further along you’ll see thickets and woods. You’ll also notice the opening of the tunnel that curiously heads west towards the east. Past the tunnel a large wall partially conceals a vast manor. This manor comprises several building sections. Next to it is a large house at number 306. On the eastern side of the slope are two large concrete houses with black roofs.
Boulevard de Balmont begins its curve after the Montée de Balmont. It passes the Piemente towers with walkways amidst lawns and woods. These continue into Balmont Park on its northern side. The western side on the hill features low-rise buildings of a school complex. Further on stands a magnificent white house in the middle of a lawn. A gigantic block stands in the background.
The boulevard curves beneath a footbridge. Here you can see the oblique line of a church. It has been converted into a cinema. The area around the house behind the cinema is landscaped into a garden.
The boulevard flattens as it intersects Avenue Sakharov. It runs alongside a partially buried line of stones. This marks the Fort de la Duchère to the south. It sits behind a large parking area lawns and flowerbeds. A boxwood garden outlines a small construction site for gardeners. To the north are blocks built perpendicularly. They run along Rue Chapas and Allée Quiquerez. Two courtyards surrounded by rounded roof buildings house the Grand Lyon water service and the Balmont business village. In 2017 the facade of block 320 was enhanced. It got a beautiful curve onto the boulevard with shops at its base.
These beautiful houses remind us that Duchère was not discovered in 1960. That was the year when the development of the district began.
Construction on the building at the corner of the boulevard began in 2008. It took place as part of a major urban project. The aim was to rejuvenate La Duchère.
At the other end block 320 facing Rue Chapas was altered around 2015. Houses were added on the roof. A new facade was created on the boulevard in an extravagant reconstruction. Children from the block participated in the project with an architectural association.
The white house serves various associations. These are Mirly for job seekers and a Protestant center. The regional association IMC supports people with cerebral palsy. And of course the Duchère cinema is right here.
The business village houses fourteen companies. The Grand Lyon has its water and tourism departments here. There is also an architect and a V bicycle station. The market sets up along the Fort de la Duchère. In 2017 block 320 housed several businesses.
Originally this boulevard was known as the third avenue. Today Boulevard de Balmont stands as a testament to Lyon’s evolution. It blends residential areas commercial spaces and historical remnants. It creates a vibrant and ever-changing landscape.