Born in Lyon at number 8. That’s the hook. This is Avenue Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. A short street with a big story. It wasn’t always called this. In fact for a long time it was known as Rue Peyrat. This was after Jean du Peyrat who in 1540 traded land in Saint-Genis-Laval for land here near the Place Bellecour. His widow Claudine Laurencin opened up the area in 1560. She named one of these new streets after her late husband.
Later Rue Peyrat absorbed Rue des Colonies. Then in 1909 it became Rue Alphonse Fochier. Alphonse Fochier was someone important but not as important as the next name it would bear.
In the year 2000 the avenue finally got its current name. It honours Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. The famous writer and aviator was born at number 8 on this very street. He lived here for his early years in Lyon. The building at number 7 is even a historical monument. Imagine the echoes of his childhood here. Can you picture young Antoine already dreaming of flight?
Before its current name it also had connections to Belgium. Hyppolite Dechet. He lived at this address. He is known as the lyricist of the Belgian national anthem. La Brabançonne. He was born here in 1801 and died fighting for Belgian independence in 1830. This street is a place of international connections.
Another significant resident was Marius Gonin. At number 1. He founded the Semaines Sociales de France. This was a movement for social justice. This was a landmark organization in France. It all started right here on this small street.
Avenue Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. A quiet street today. It holds a lot of history. A lot of history that shows the wide and rich past of Lyon. It’s more than just a road. It is a living testament to people’s impact and legacy. It is a microcosm of the grand history of Lyon.