Why Rue Jean-Marc Bernard? The street is named to honor a poet. He was born in Valence on December 4, 1881, or perhaps 1880 according to a plaque. Jean-Marc Bernard died in the war on July 5, 1915.
Rue Jean-Marc Bernard begins on Rue Ferdinand Buisson. It faces number 29. The street crosses Avenue Lacassagne. It ends on Rue Trarieux, near Rue Viala. Cars on Rue Jean-Marc Bernard travel south.
Let’s observe the architecture here. After a recent two-story building on the west side, the first part of Rue Jean-Marc Bernard passes between simple houses. Most are one-story and aligned. On the east side, you will see two Desvignes company warehouses. The street opens onto Avenue Lacassagne between two larger houses in gardens. The one on the east has a summerhouse.
After the avenue, the east side features simple four-story buildings. These buildings date from the early 20th century. Note the exception. The last building is all white with tiered sections. It dates from the early 21st century. On the west side, after the corner building, there is a row of small one or two-story houses. The alignment is not perfect. A house at number 42 is set back. The house at number 30 is slightly recessed.
Jean-Marc Bernard wrote for the magazine Les guêpes. He belonged to a group called the fantaisistes. His poem De Profundis survived him. Collections of his works also remain. Lyon also has a Rue Benoît, a Rue Jean, and a Quai Claude Bernard. Jacques Bernard was mayor of La Guillotière. He donated many paintings to the Musée des Beaux-Arts. The property of the Centre Pierre Valdo comes from the Bernard legacy. Paul Marcel Bernard died for France on November 8, 1914.
During the war, Jacqueline Bernard directed the newspaper Combat from her apartment. It was located at 5 Rue Terme. Her brother, Jean Guy Bernard, was secretary of the Combat movement. He worked on Rue Vauban. He was arrested on January 28, 1944. Jean Guy died on August 5 while being deported to Auschwitz. Lucie Bernard is better known as Lucie Aubrac. She helped found the Dernière Colonne and Libération movements. She organized the escape of her husband Raymond. He was detained in Lyon in 1943.
A plaque near the funicular commemorates Bernard. He was a poet and prophet of the street from 1961 to 2009. In 2013, Olivier Bernard published an anthology of ambient music. It was written partly at the municipal library. Bruno Bernard was born in Sainte Foy les Lyon in 1970. He was elected president of the Lyon metropolis in 2020.
Rue Jean-Marc Bernard was laid out in the late 19th century. It doubled Rue Viala. Urbanization came later. It occurred in the early 20th century. In 1928, the municipal council recognized that the name Impasse de la Tour was no longer suitable. It now had a beginning and an end. At number 25, Suzanne and Georges Buisson participated in the resistance. They arrived in Lyon in 1940. They were leaders of the SFIO and the CGT. Suzanne was eventually arrested.
Though there may be poets on Rue Jean-Marc Bernard, they do not have a storefront. You can find three companies and an upholsterer here. Rue Jean-Marc Bernard offers a glimpse into Lyon’s past. It also reflects the city’s ongoing evolution. Take a moment to appreciate the blend of history and modernity.