Jean Jaurès. Does the name ring a bell? Right here we find ourselves at Place Jean Jaurès in Lyon. This square bears the name of Jean Jaurès. He was a prominent French socialist politician.
Place Jean Jaurès sits in Lyon’s 7th arrondissement. It is framed by several streets. Avenue Jean Jaurès marks its western edge. Rue de Gerland defines its eastern side.
On the square’s south end are buildings. The François-Auguste-Ravier primary school is also there. A street connects Rue de Gerland and Avenue Jean Jaurès on the north side. This street also provides access to parking. The parking is on the square’s west side.
Getting here is easy thanks to the Place Jean Jaurès metro station. This station is on line B of the Lyon Metro. It is located on Avenue Jean Jaurès. It lies just 150 meters south of the square. There is also a Vélo’v station near Rue de Gerland.
The Place Jean Jaurès metro station opened in 2000. It was part of an extension of line B. The line now reached Stade de Gerland. The station’s design is unique. Architect Robert Dussud and artist Patrick Reynaud collaborated on it. Their theme was “Invitation to travel.”
The station features a starry ceiling. Each platform has different decorations. Philippe Hutinet designed the lighting. The platform towards Charpennes-Charles Hernu features a world map section. It is called “shore of the planet”. In the Gare d’Oullins direction the pillars spell “ITINERARY”. This side is known as “shore of writing”.
The station’s art embraces mobility and world travel. It integrates art into the station’s architecture. This even masks the construction techniques. Elevators provide access for people with reduced mobility. Automatic ticket machines are also available.
Avenue Jean Jaurès itself is quite significant. It stretches about 4,100 meters. This makes it Lyon’s longest avenue. It runs from Cours Gambetta to Parc Henry-Chabert. The avenue is named after Jean Jaurès as well.
The avenue’s construction occurred in stages. The section north of Place Jean Macé dates back to the late 19th century. The southern part developed from the early 20th century onward. From 1941 to 1944, the avenue was named Avenue Maréchal-Lyautey. This was to remove references to Jean Jaurès.
At number 302 Avenue Jean Jaurès stands the Église Saint-Antoine de Gerland. Architect Gabriel Bonnamour built it between 1931 and 1934. A monumental Christ on the cross adorns its facade. Artist Louis Bertola created this sculpture.
Interestingly Place Jean Jaurès also serves a practical purpose. During certain times of the year, it acts as a Christmas tree collection point. The city provides this service. It helps residents dispose of their trees after the holidays.
So Place Jean Jaurès is more than just a square. It is a transportation hub a place of art and a nod to a historical figure. It is a space where history art and everyday life converge.