“Who was Maurice Jacob?” you might ask. Rue Maurice Jacob is more than just an address. It’s a tribute to a man of science and humanity. Let’s explore the story behind this Lyon street.
Rue Maurice Jacob is a medium-sized street. It runs between Rue des Aqueducs and Rue Joliot-Curie in Lyon. Opened in 2007, the street was once just an alley. This alley served the houses at 37 and 39 Rue des Aqueducs.
As you walk down Rue Maurice Jacob, notice the layout. Cars travel south. The sidewalks have a unique design. Bike lanes are on the west side. Pedestrians stay to the east.
Take a look at the architecture. Only the east side has direct access to homes. You’ll first see the garden of an old house. It has a charming gloriette. Green tiles and a swan adorn it. Further along, you’ll spot twin five-story buildings. They stand perpendicular to the street. A small roof connects them halfway up.
Beyond these, everything is newer. Built when Rue Maurice Jacob opened. There are two individual houses. They are white cubes with one story. Note their multiple setbacks. Further down the street at numbers 13 and 15 are two long buildings. These have four stories with wide balconies. Finally, an old house stands on the corner of Rue Joliot Curie.
On the west side of Rue Maurice Jacob, a barrier and wall hide buildings. These are apartment blocks from the late 20th century. They sit within gardens.
Maurice Jacob was born in 1909 in Izieux near Saint Chamond. He died in 2003. He was celebrated as a scientist and a humanist. Jacob studied at the chemistry school. He also went to the École Centrale de Lyon. He taught at the Lycée du Parc. He also taught at the two schools where he had studied.
Jacob was a member of the Académie de Lyon. He even served as its president. He headed the library association. A music lover, he was also involved with radio. He wrote a book of interviews. It covered music in Lyon.
Maurice Jacob lived in Point du Jour. In his neighborhood, he organized a soccer team. It was called “la diagonale du point du jour” at the Lycée du Parc. Another Maurice Jacob was born in Lyon in 1933. He was a physicist at CERN in Geneva. He died in 2007. He led the physicists’ union.
The street was named in honor of Maurice Jacob. The dedication happened after a city council meeting in 2004.
In 2006, associations funded the trees along the sidewalks for homeless people. There are plane trees and oak trees planted there. Rue Maurice Jacob is mainly residential. As you leave Rue Maurice Jacob, remember Maurice Jacob. He was a scientist and humanist who made a difference. His legacy lives on in this street.