What a curious name Rue Professeur Calmette. Standing here at its beginning on Cours Albert Thomas you might wonder who Professor Calmette was. This street and its nearby square are named after Albert Calmette a renowned French bacteriologist. He wasn’t from Lyon but his impact was felt worldwide.
Calmette was a student of Louis Pasteur. He worked tirelessly on bacteria particularly tuberculosis. His most significant achievement was co-developing the BCG vaccine. This vaccine combats tuberculosis and bears his name Bacillus Calmette-Guerin. His work earned him international recognition. His name graces this Lyonnaise street a testament to his legacy.
Rue Professeur Calmette is a short street. It starts at Cours Albert Thomas and ends at Boulevard Jean XXIII. It’s the first street west of Grange Blanche. The street’s design is quite unique. Its northern section is wide passing by imposing buildings. This section leads to a smaller segment. This one is even wider. It’s almost an avenue. Here you’ll find planters and the glass shelter of the Sherington terrace’s patio. It offers a tranquil retreat.
Further along the street narrows. It’s mostly built up on the west side. There you see a massive building with eight rows of windows. The building faces an earth area with benches plants and parking spaces. The southern section is part of a larger square Square Calmette. This area was once called Impasse Saint Alban.
The development of Rue Professeur Calmette is intertwined with the city’s growth. The northern part opened before the end of the 19th century. A 1949 plan shows it opening onto Place Renaut. But the construction of Boulevard Jean XXIII around 1970 changed the street’s shape. The southern portion was absorbed by the cancer research center in 1964. It now forms part of a peaceful green space.
A tragic event marred the street’s history. On December 4 1988 the body of Joseph Koutounyan was found here riddled with bullets. He was known to the police for burglaries and pimping. The street holds a mix of history development and unfortunately some darker moments.
Today the street is quieter. It holds a research center a hotel and a bar. This area is changing. In 2023 the Centre International de Recherche sur le Cancer CIRC was scheduled to move. The Guillot Bourdeix tower is set for renovation. Plans include housing offices and a restaurant for 2028. Rue Professeur Calmette stands as a quiet observer of Lyon’s constant evolution. It continues to tell its unique story a mix of science tragedy and urban renewal.