Avenue de la Première Division Française Libre

Slipping through a crack in time, imagine Lyon in the grip of World War II. The year is 1944. The city holds its breath under German occupation. Now, fast forward to the present. We stand before Avenue de la Première Division Française Libre, a street named to honor the very division that liberated this city. This avenue curves down towards Avenue Debrousse, a path carved in 1974, a testament to a city rebuilding, a city remembering. The First Free French Division, or 1re DFL, etched their name into Lyon’s history on September 3, 1944. They weren’t just a division; they were liberators. Their campaign stretched from Africa to the Middle East, through Italy, and finally to the shores of Provence. From there, they fought their way north, pushing back the German forces and reclaiming French soil, culminating in the liberation of Lyon. Avenue de la Première Division Française Libre, sometimes casually called “Choulans d’en haut” due to its lengthy name, embodies more than just a victory. It represents the courage of the men and women who fought for freedom, many of them Lyonnais themselves, including General Brosset, a native of nearby Rillieux. Visualize the avenue as it was then, no buildings, just a winding road amidst trees, a quiet path carved against the backdrop of a concrete wall on the west and a hill rising on the east. In 2007, a section of the road dramatically collapsed, momentarily revealing the earth beneath, a stark reminder of the city’s ever-changing landscape. As you walk along Avenue de la Première Division Française Libre, remember the legacy. Remember the 1re DFL. Their victory echoes in the rustle of the leaves, in the curve of the road, in the very name of the avenue itself.