Lost in Lille? Rue Jules Vallès might just be your unexpected guide through time. This street wasn’t always called Rue Jules Vallès. It was once part of Rue Thiers in Mons-en-Barœul.
Let’s rewind a bit. Imagine post-World War I Lille. The area around what is now Rue Jules Vallès was bustling. The street allowed passage to the railway that connects Lille to Belgium.
Rue Thiers extended all the way from Mons-en-Barœul until it became Rue Jules Vallès in Lille. The street is named after Jules Vallès. He was a controversial figure. He was even condemned to death in 1871. This was by the government of the Commune de Paris.
What was life like here back then? The corners of the streets buzzed with commerce. Shopkeepers benefited from the traffic on both adjacent roads. One local butcher even bought corner houses to prevent competition.
One such establishment was Léon Lesoing’s “estaminet” a type of French cafe or bar. It was a popular spot. Léon proudly posed with his family. Patrons enjoyed beers from “La Semeuse” instead of the nearby “Brasserie Coopérative de Mons-en-Barœul”.
Next door to Léon was “Nord-Bouteilles”. It was a company specializing in glass recycling. The area definitely had a knack for bottles.
Fast forward to today. Rue Jules Vallès is a one-way street. You can travel from Mons to Lille. Léon Lesoing’s “estaminet” is now a private home. The original dormer windows have been replaced. “Nord-Bouteilles” is gone too.
In its place now stand an “Intermarché” hypermarket and an “Aldi” discount supermarket. Until the 1950s the area around Rue Thiers and Rue Franklin thrived with shops. Today the commercial activity is concentrated around the supermarkets.
While much has changed on Rue Jules Vallès, echoes of the past remain. The street tells a story of transformation. It evolved from a bustling commercial area to its current state. So take a stroll down Rue Jules Vallès. Think about those echoes of history that linger.