Place Colbert and the Secret Silk Traboules
Why is it significant?
Emerge into the peaceful, sunlit clearing of Place Colbert, a paved hillside terrace bordered by neatly trimmed plane trees that gazes eastward across the Rhône valley.
Key Facts
| Place | Place Colbert and the Secret Silk Traboules |
|---|---|
| Address | Place Colbert 1, 69001 Lyon, France |
| Geo Coordinates | 45.77350, 4.83580 |
| Part of Walk | Croix-Rousse and the Canuts: Silk Revolts, Secret Traboules, and Giant Murals |
| Generated | Generated |
Emerge into the peaceful, sunlit clearing of Place Colbert, a paved hillside terrace bordered by neatly trimmed plane trees that gazes eastward across the Rhône valley. Named in honor of Jean-Baptiste Colbert, King Louis XIV's brilliant controller general of finance who reorganized the Grande Fabrique silk corporation in 1667 and granted Lyon lucrative royal monopolies, this square displays an austere and impressive architectural unity. The towering canut apartment buildings erected during the Bourbon Restoration and July Monarchy between 1820 and 1840 align with geometric precision: unadorned limestone facades, monumental carriage portals with glazed transoms, and high slate roofs reflect the disciplined work ethic of the textile community. From this quiet square radiate several of the longest and most labyrinthine traboules in Lyon, descending through residential courtyards and private stairwells toward the quays below. Looking eastward past the rooftops, the panoramic view opens across the steel bridges of the Rhône toward the residential avenues of the Brotteaux. A serene, village-like quietude envelopes the square, far removed from the city rush.
Observe the wide carriage doorways of the apartment blocks: they were specially dimensioned to allow two-wheeled handcarts laden with valuable silk bolts to enter courtyard loading docks protected from driving rain.
Deep beneath the pavement of this square lies an enigmatic network of underground stone galleries known as the arêtes de poisson, or fishbone tunnels, an ancient Roman or medieval subterranean maze whose military or hydraulic purpose still baffles archaeologists today.
Breathe in the serene stillness of the plaza: far removed from the noisy commercial boulevards below, Place Colbert has retained the dignified, focused calm of a neighborhood where days began at dawn to the steady rhythm of weaving shuttles.
Walk northeast along the boulevard toward the famous glacial boulder of the Gros Caillou.