A forgotten hippodrome’s echo lingers here. Welcome to Rue Bonneterre in Villeurbanne a suburb of Lyon. This unassuming street holds secrets of a bygone era.
Rue Bonneterre wasn’t always a quiet residential street. It once hosted a bustling hippodrome in 1885. Imagine the thrill of horse races the roar of the crowd. The hippodrome attracted military interest. General Jean Arthur Lenfumé de Lignières envisioned it as Lyon’s version of Vincennes. He hoped for cavalry training and even races for non-commissioned officers. Alas this dream never fully materialized. The hippodrome closed in 1893. A somber military band marked its end.
This area was more than just racing. Bonneterre was once a fiefdom. It belonged to the Maison du Molin in 1633. The name itself evolved. It was originally Bonnetière. Older maps refer to Les Bonnetières or Les petites Bonnetières. This reflects the area’s changing boundaries.
The planned move of Villeurbanne’s town hall to Bonneterre was a significant event. The Société Immobilière de Bonneterre proposed this. They hoped to boost property values. The plan included a new avenue. This avenue is today’s Avenue Auguste Blanqui. The town hall project ultimately failed. The cost and the tension between Villeurbanne’s north and south sides proved too much.
Bonneterre’s identity transformed further. Industrial development arrived. The Gillet family’s factories changed the neighborhood. Their factories were built on over nine hectares. They hired skilled workers. This influx of workers created the need for housing.
The Société des Logements Économiques built affordable housing. They prioritized skilled workers such as dyers and colorists. These homes were on Rue Camille Koechlin. The Gillet family later built more housing. These are found between Rue Persoz and Cours Damidot. These buildings share a similar architectural style. They are sometimes called “maisons Gillet” or “style Mangini.”
Rue Bonneterre today is a small street. It is a quiet reminder. It recalls this area’s vibrant past. The name lives on in the street itself. It also appears on a local sports club and an EDF transformer. It speaks volumes of a dynamic neighborhood. A neighborhood that transformed from a fief to a racing center to an industrial hub.