Perhaps you have not heard of Rue de la Piémente. It sits quietly on the eastern flank of the Duchère hill. This street may seem like just another road. But it holds a few secrets worth uncovering.
Rue de la Piémente starts at Boulevard de Balmont. It is opposite the École des Dahlias. Cars cannot pass through because it is a dead end. However, pedestrians can take the Chemin des Contrebandiers. This path leads down to Rochecardon. Or they can wander into the Bois de Balmont. A map there shows paths connecting Vaise to Duchère.
Look to the east. You will see the slopes. Four towers stand tall. This is the Résidence des Monts d’Or. These towers have fourteen floors. They are part of a large estate. An old wall partially encloses it.
Now look west. You will be dominated by two large blocks. These blocks are seven stories high. A hedge of pines partially hides the first one.
Rue de la Piémente curves. It descends to Rue des Contrebandiers. Then it ascends west. It sits at the foot of a third block. Finally, it ends as a dead end. It is between blocks 344 and 345. This is already partly within the Bois de Balmont.
The name Piémente has a history. There was a Piemente estate in the area. Municipal archives keep a map of it. This map dates from between 1479 and 1484.
Originally, the dead end was the twentieth street. The street numbers of Duchère were removed. A few meters were added to Rue des Contrebandiers. Piémente then became the name of the street. It stretched to the last block.
The path was also once called Chemin de la Pie. Then it reverted to its old name. The path is very old. It has existed since the Ancien Régime. In the 19th century, it served a group of properties. The path’s route has slightly changed. Originally, it linked Montée de Balmont and Rue des Contrebandiers.
The 1960s brought changes. The path was straightened. The construction of Boulevard de Balmont absorbed the southern part. The street was extended into a dead end. The current buildings were constructed.
Rue de la Piémente has seen much. It began as an ancient path. It evolved into a modern street. It tells a silent story of Lyon’s urban development.