Named for a Pope, Boulevard Jean XXIII connects Grange Blanche to Bachut. It stretches from Place d’Arsonval to Place du XI Novembre. The tram glides along the central lanes. One traffic lane flanks each side. Wide sidewalks offer ample space for pedestrians.
Let’s observe the architecture here on Boulevard Jean XXIII. The first section passes an interesting monument. It honors the army’s health service. A large concrete block dominates the view. A grand feminine figure stands atop it. A detailed bas-relief wraps around the pedestal. It depicts health personnel during wartime.
Across from the Bullukian promenade sits a square. Three buildings stand nearby. Two are positioned sideways around the 12-14 block. A garage displays a portrait of Maryse Bastié. The Léon Bérard center is nearby. Buildings surround a courtyard with a tall chimney. Further along, six-story glass buildings mark the corner. This is the passage des Alouettes. A small supermarket warehouse and the Résidence des Alpes buildings follow. A short path crosses a small ornamental garden at the Rue des Alouettes intersection.
On the east side after Rue Maryse Bastié, sports fields extend. The long buildings of La Martinière are visible. Opposite, a nursery school shelters concrete buildings. Five benches invite passersby to rest. After a second supermarket warehouse, the boulevard becomes more built-up. Apartment blocks and towers appear. They stand crosswise before Rue Bataille. The intersection forms a space with benches under trees.
Buildings align along the boulevard. Several belong to the La Mache schools. An angled pavilion and two massive blocks stand connected. An aerial gallery integrates into housing blocks. A rounded archway reveals a recessed alignment. On the east side, alignment begins after a concrete EDF transformer building.
The boulevard widens into a parking area. Across stands a factory transformed into a restaurant. This marks the approach to the Bachut intersection. Curious counterweights tension the tram’s electrical wires.
Angelo Guiseppe Roncali was born in 1881. He became Pope John XXIII in 1958. He was beatified in 2000 and canonized in 2014. Pope John XXIII is honored for the Vatican II council.
Boulevard Jean XXIII resulted from a 1912 city plan. The La Mache school occupies the former Cottin-Desgouttes automobile factory. The factory closed in 1931. In 2021, a large construction project began behind the Rue Bataille pavilion. A new teaching building will occupy 27,000 square meters.
The health service monument dates to 1938. P. Bellemain was the architect. L. Bertola was the sculptor. The boulevard took its current form mainly in the late 20th century. The tramway’s arrival after 2000 improved the area. It made the street more pedestrian-friendly.
Lucile, from Christelle Ravey’s book, lives in one of the boulevard’s large blocks. The northern part of Boulevard Jean XXIII focuses on medicine. There is the nursing school. The Léon Bérard center, built in the 1950s, continues to expand. Jean Bouise, founder of the Théâtre de la Comédie, died at Léon Bérard in 1989. Presidents Hollande and Zuma visited the anti-cancer center in 2016. In 2024, an exhibit celebrates the center’s 100th anniversary.
The southern part focuses on technical education. This is the location of the La Mache school and La Martinière. The Maison de la Métropole de Lyon provides social services. Two supermarkets and a restaurant offer commercial options. Two speech therapists provide medical services. That’s Boulevard Jean XXIII, a place of contrasts and connections.