Rue François Gay – François Gaystraat

Cobblestones whisper secrets on Rue François Gay. These stones have witnessed a transformation. Rue François Gay, once a humble, narrow path, now stands as a testament to time and memory. This street, stretching over 1,100 meters from Avenue Louis Gribaumont to Rue Sombre in Woluwe-Saint-Pierre, carries a story within its very name. Before 1918, this street, along with its extension, Rue du Duc, formed a single road connecting the villages of Etterbeek and Woluwe-Saint-Pierre. In 1918, this section was renamed Rue François Gay. It honors the memory of soldier Jean François Gay, born in Woluwe-Saint-Pierre and who died from his wounds during the First World War. Imagine this street in the late 19th century, a mere five meters wide, winding its way through mostly undeveloped land. The 1808 communal atlas shows just one building, housing a barn and stable, later converted into a house in 1911. This very spot was replaced in 1989 by the corner building at number 89 Avenue Jules De Trooz. The transformation of Rue François Gay began in 1902 when the council decided to widen and straighten it. This led to a slight deviation from the original path between Avenue Louis Gribaumont and Avenue Père Damien. Interestingly, the old path remained for some time, and houses were even built along it, like numbers 314, 316, and 318. The space between the old and new paths eventually became a triangular plaza facing numbers 308 to 320. The early 20th century saw modest worker’s houses spring up on the eastern side, while more affluent, eclectic-style homes lined the western part near Avenue Gribaumont and Rue Jean-Gérard Eggerickx. Among them, numbers 271 to 275 and Rue Eggerickx 2 and 6 form a set of five houses designed by architect Fernand Conard in 1912. The interwar period brought brick facades in eclectic and Art Deco styles, often adorned with projecting balconies. Rue François Gay buzzed with industrial activity. Workshops and garages dotted the landscape. One such workshop, designed in 1929 for the Valcke firm, stood at number 91. Behind number 163 lay the Berdoux brickyard. Post-war, single-family homes and later, in the 1970s and 1980s, larger apartment buildings, further shaped the street’s character. Numbers 31 to 61 are part of a larger complex extending onto the neighboring Avenue Louis Ceusters and Avenue des Cinq Bonniers, entirely built by architect Raymond Decorte between 1957 and 1961. Today, amidst the mix of architectural styles, Rue François Gay retains its charm. It stands as a quiet reminder of a soldier’s sacrifice, a street that evolved from a humble path to a vibrant part of Woluwe-Saint-Pierre.