Saint Maurice. A name echoing through time. What story does Rue Saint-Maurice tell? This street in Lyon begins at Rue des Frères Lumière. It extends south to Avenue Berthelot. Cars travel on it away from Avenue Berthelot.
Rue Saint-Maurice is long and straight. It was originally designed to be narrow. Buildings from the second half of the 20th century are set back from the street. The buildings are varied. They range from small one-story houses to larger apartment buildings.
Some trees grow along the sidewalks. The trees are more plentiful in the southern part. The west side has a row of five facades. Three are three-story buildings. This row extends to Rue Trouilhet. On the east side a building is set back.
Past this street, the church and its rectory create a lovely square. The church has a white facade. It features a square bell tower with a clock. An alley leads to the door. The church divides two small squares. One square is sunny. It is north and extends from Rue Trouilhet. A stone cross stands there. The other square is more shaded. It is south of the church near a two-story house at number 13. The second facade faces the street. The space was recently renovated. It has benches and young trees. Flowerbeds add structure. Across from the church at number 14 is a building from 1960. It was designed by Lintignac. It has six and seven stories with oddly staggered heights.
The intersection with Rue Saint Nestor is between taller buildings. The street continues between late 20th-century buildings. On the east side, after Rue Saint Mathieu, the garden wall at number 35 juts out. The auto shop also juts out. Its front is decorated with two large lion heads. A rooster sits on top.
Before Rue Saint Romain, Castel Lumière has a large roof. It faces an older six-story rounded building. After the intersection, a house and an apartment building stand alone.
At the intersection with Rue Berliet, two low rounded buildings face each other. One is partly covered in wood. The other is covered in zinc. To the west are two bars. One is a seven-story residential building. The other is a three-story cube with narrow windows.
The beautiful house at number 68 forms a projection. The east side ends with new buildings. On the west side, schoolyards echo with children’s voices. Then come two long buildings labeled as a library. Two small houses and an apartment building at the corner of Avenue Berthelot complete the street.
Rue Saint-Maurice is named after a saint. The Count of Tournelles sold the land. He particularly liked this saint. Saint Maurice was a leader in the Theban Legion of Egypt. He was martyred in 287 in Agaune. He refused to exterminate Christians as ordered by Emperor Maximian. Saint Eucher wrote about Saint Maurice’s life. This started the saint’s cult. It led to the creation of the Saint Maurice d’Agaune monastery. It is still active in Valais, Switzerland.
Saint Maurice was greatly revered around the year 1000. The kings of Burgundy and Provence venerated him. The counts of Albon and Viennois also revered him. His relics are there. The cathedral bears his name. A conference highlighted him in 2015.
The church dedicated to Saint Maurice was built in 1840. This was during the early urbanization of Monplaisir. The road was traced then. It became a local road in 1868. Urbanization was slow moving from north to south. This explains the current look. There are more recent buildings in the south. Older buildings are in the north.
The Saint Maurice parish was founded in 1843. It is located at number 13 near the church. It is grouped with Saint Alban. It publishes a monthly newsletter and maintains a website.
Two schools are on Rue Saint-Maurice. They are Saint Maurice and la Combe Blanche. There is also a daycare. At number 53 education and laughter seem to be aimed at children.
Two auto garages are located here. There are also two companies and a physical therapist. Rue Saint-Maurice. A street of faith, commerce, and community. A street that reflects Lyon’s layered past.