Whispers of a vanished street. That’s Rue de la Villardière for you. It’s no longer a proper street you see. It’s more of a cul-de-sac now. Tucked away. A secret passage almost. Find it nestled off Rue des Rancy. Between Rue Philip and Rue Garibaldi.
Rue de la Villardière. Its name echoes a bygone era. A time before the modern buildings swallowed it whole. It was laid out in the mid-19th century. Part of a larger development called Clos Saint Amour. This was before the area was fully incorporated into Lyon. Back then it held a very different significance.
Imagine the Rue de la Villardière. A narrow street perhaps. Lined with modest buildings. The west side boasted an eight-story building. It had balconies and a distinctive style from the 1950s. Opposite was a smaller house a single story with an attic and a charming pointed roof. A curious juxtaposition of architectural styles.
The story doesn’t end there. The northern part of the Rue de la Villardière was absorbed by a larger building at 88 Rue Paul Bert. Only those who know the gate code can access it today. A secret passage still survives. A true traboule.
Rue de la Villardière’s name itself is a story. Villardière refers to a property that existed before the neighborhood’s transformation. There was a Villars family in Lyon. They even provided the city with an archbishop. Their name might have been linked to this property. Also a B de Villard. He was the first provost of merchants. This was after Lyon’s submission to the king in 1594.
Today Rue de la Villardière serves underground garages. They’re beneath a terrace. A discreet entrance to a hidden world. You can still feel its echoes. A reminder of Lyon’s ever-changing urban landscape. A testament to the city’s layered history. So the next time you walk near Rue des Rancy remember the whispers of Rue de la Villardière. A street that may be gone. But its story lives on.