A descriptive name indeed. The Rue de la Fontaine. It translates directly to “street of the fountain”. This short street in Lyon’s Boucle valley holds a secret. The street starts at Rue Eugène Pons. It curves gracefully. It serves Rue de Philippeville. Then it winds to a concrete bridge. This bridge crosses the Montée de la Boucle. It heads toward Clos Bissardon and Montée du Belvédère in Caluire. Two small paths connect to the Montée de la Boucle on the Lyon side.
Let’s talk about the Bissardon area. It is an interesting place to walk with historical signs. It features sloping lanes and stairs. René Belletto set the epilogue of his novel there. It offers views of the Rhône and the sixth district. Cars drive in both directions on the Rue de la Fontaine.
Now focus on the architecture. The Rue de la Fontaine is angled and winding. It is not very wide. Buildings stand out with triangular roofs. Some houses date back to the 19th century. The apartment block seems to be from the mid-20th century. The school dates to the 1980s.
On the west side, there’s a house flank at the corner of Rue Pons. A small triangular house and its old garden wall are attached. Next is a large three-story house. It stands alone with a garden. Then comes a smaller house surrounded by trees and bushes.
On the east side, you see a house flank from Rue Pons. The school occupies the inner corner. A rather ugly mosaic decorates it. It depicts a pencil. It has large openings to reach a parking lot. It is attached to a long, charmless five-story building.
The street’s name was descriptive. But the famous fountain has disappeared. A resident shared that the fountain was on the wall of number 3. It was very abundant. Major work was needed to force it into the sewers. You can see a similar one on Rue Royet in Caluire. It is just across the bridge.
Jean de la Fontaine was a printer in Lyon in 1488. He has nothing to do with the street’s name. Nor does the fabulist honored by a school on Place Flammarion. You can see a Virgin Notre Dame de la Fontaine. It stands at the corner of Rue Terraille and Rue Romarin. In 1999, the Jesuit’s 500,000-volume Fontaines collection went to Lyon’s library.
Historically, the Rue de la Fontaine opened in the mid-19th century. Before that, a fort stood near its location. Before 1980, the narrow street descended to join La Boucle. The Montée de la Boucle widened to four lanes. It became impossible to cross. The Rue de la Fontaine’s path changed. Gardens were cut back. The house at number 1 and the fountain were demolished. The bridge was built to keep it connected to Caluire.
There is no art or associations on Rue de la Fontaine. The Georges Lapierre nursery school is here. If you want to reach 10 Rue de la Fontaine, take bus lines 38, 9, C4, or C6. Metro lines A and C also stop nearby. The closest bus stop is Montée De La Boucle. It is a two-minute walk away.
So remember the Rue de la Fontaine. It is a street with a lost fountain. It is a street of changes and connections. It is a small piece of Lyon’s history.