Rue Général Plessier

Did a general’s street ever house a music revolution? Here on Rue Général Plessier, it absolutely did. Rue Général Plessier isn’t just a street. It’s a thread woven into the vibrant tapestry of Lyon’s 2nd arrondissement, stretching from Place Gensoul to Place Carnot. This street, named after General Louis Victor Plessier, holds more than just his legacy. Plessier, a French officer, was tragically the first of 42 French generals to fall in World War I, dying at the Desgenettes Military Training Hospital right here in Lyon. He had served as deputy to the military governor of the Lyon region, leaving a mark on this city before his untimely death. But before it bore his name, Rue Général Plessier was known as Rue Penthièvre, honoring Louis de Bourbon, Duke of Penthièvre. Now, imagine the year 1937. The world is on the brink of war, but here on Rue Général Plessier, at number 4, Marcel Teppaz is about to launch a different kind of revolution–a musical one. He sets up shop, leaving behind Rue Jarente for this very spot. Here, within these walls, he invents the Teppaz record player, then the “mange-disque,” a portable record player that would become a symbol of a generation. The echoes of that innovation still resonate along this street. At number 13, a plaque commemorates a different kind of hero. Henri Michel Thomas, a member of the French Resistance, was executed on February 4, 1944. His story, etched in metal, reminds us of the courage and resilience that have marked this city’s history. So, as you stroll down Rue Général Plessier, remember it’s not just a street. It’s a stage where history has played out, from the echoes of a general’s footsteps to the hum of Teppaz’s invention and the silent tribute to a resistance fighter.