Rue Tourville

On a crisp spring morning in Lyon, let’s explore Rue Tourville. This street, tucked away in the 7th arrondissement, holds more than meets the eye. Rue Tourville stretches from Grande rue de la Guillotière, flowing south until it merges with Rue Garibaldi. The buildings lining Rue Tourville tell a story of architectural evolution. On the east side, a consistent row of buildings stands. Number 15 catches the eye, with its rounded features and four prominent stories. The west side presents a more varied scene, from construction sites to protruding balconies and small workshops near Rue du Béguin. A shorter section of Rue Tourville features a modern building and workshop on the west, contrasted by two small, single-story houses on the east. The street concludes at a large intersection with Rue Domer. A new building, adorned with rounded corners and a wood-covered extension, stands opposite an undeveloped plot. Rue Tourville honors Anne Hilarion de Tourville, a Parisian admiral and marshal who served France in the late 17th century. Interestingly, his connection to Lyon appears tenuous, much like his second-in-command, Duquesne. Tourville’s name originates from a town near Rouen where he held the title of lord. Even a building on Rue Domer, number 46, carries his name: “Amiral de Tourville.” Before bearing its current name, Rue Tourville was known as Rue du Chevallier Martin d’Ossaris. This earlier name refers to a local landowner who played a role in the reconstruction of the Eglise Notre Dame de Grâces in 1619. Rue Tourville’s history unfolds from the mid-19th century, although some maps suggest its existence as early as 1700. It underwent widening in the 1910s. A dramatic incident unfolded on March 9, 2010. Jewelers pursued two masked individuals suspected of planning a robbery. Shots were fired, tragically claiming the life of a passerby in front of number 16. Today, Rue Tourville houses a mix of businesses, including two auto garages and corporate offices.