Considering a journey back in time to Cuire le Bas? It is now a vibrant district of Caluire-et-Cuire. Imagine a landscape transformed from farmland to a bustling community.
Cuire le Bas has a rich history that intertwines with the Saône. The river shaped its identity. It once formed part of the commune of Cuire-la-Croix-Rousse. Conflicts were common between Cuire and Croix-Rousse residents. In 1790, Cuire sought to join Caluire. This union birthed Caluire-et-Cuire as we know it today.
Cuire le Bas’s story is linked to the Saône’s mariners. These river travelers frequented its shores. Today, a new pedestrian path lets residents rediscover the river’s allure. This path closely follows the water’s edge.
Cuire le Bas was once a hub for market gardening and river transport. In 1856, industrial pottery arrived. Cotelle Frères set up shop making stoneware. Their factory stood where buildings now meet Quai Georges Clemenceau and Rue Lucien Maitre. The business thrived until World War II. New materials led to its decline. Production ceased in 1957. The landmark chimney was torn down in 1966.
Urbanization truly began after World War II. Aerial photos from 1945 show concentrated development. The Château de Cuire was the historic heart. The Rhodia estate, also called Bellerive residence, stretched south. It was built in the late 1930s. Around Chemin de Fond-Rose stood twenty individual houses. The rest of Cuire le Bas comprised farms for market gardening and bourgeois homes.
The late 1950s saw the first building and houses on Chemin du Plain Vallon. Construction accelerated in the next decade. Apartment buildings arose. They appeared on the hillside above Rue du Capitaine Ferber’s north end. They also went up around the west half of Rue du Plain Vallon. The urban fabric thickened in the 1970s and 1980s. Several residential complexes and housing estates took shape.
A development project called Zone d’Aménagement Concerté (ZAC) was planned. It was for the Bois des Sources. It aimed for small housing and office units scattered among the trees. However, it was abandoned in 1991. The residential complex Bois des Sources was built on the same site between 1998 and 2001.
Since the early 2000s, Cuire-le-Bas has seen little new construction. This is because of limited space and the Natural Disaster Prevention Plan for the Rhône and Saône floods from 2006. Zoning regulations also play a role. Parts of the area are in a high-risk flood zone. This restricts building to extensions and height increases of existing structures.
New builds since 2010 cluster near Rue du Capitaine Ferber and Montée de la Rochette. These areas have low or no flood risk. Small apartment buildings and conversions of existing buildings are common. One example is the Chateau de la Rochette.
Today, Cuire le Bas stands as a testament to adaptation. The area evolved from agriculture to industry. It is now a residential hub. The Saône’s enduring presence continues to shape this Lyon neighborhood.