Place de la Croix-Rousse and the Statue of Jacquard
Why is it significant?
Step into the bustling central expanse of Place de la Croix-Rousse, the vibrant civic forum and social heartbeat of life on the plateau.
Key Facts
| Place | Place de la Croix-Rousse and the Statue of Jacquard |
|---|---|
| Address | Place de la Croix-Rousse 1, 69004 Lyon, France |
| Geo Coordinates | 45.77500, 4.83150 |
| Part of Walk | Croix-Rousse and the Canuts: Silk Revolts, Secret Traboules, and Giant Murals |
| Generated | Generated |
Step into the bustling central expanse of Place de la Croix-Rousse, the vibrant civic forum and social heartbeat of life on the plateau. Laid out in 1852 across the line of the old municipal ramparts that once separated the independent commune of Croix-Rousse from the City of Lyon prior to its annexation, this broad avenue forms the focal point of the Fourth Arrondissement. Dominating the center of the plaza rises the bronze statue of Joseph-Marie Jacquard, sculpted in 1901 by Marius Vallet, portraying the thoughtful inventor in a long frock coat holding a deck of his revolutionary punched cards in his hands. Every morning from Tuesday through Sunday, the square comes alive with the celebrated Croix-Rousse market, one of the largest and most bountiful open-air farmers' markets in France, stretching for nearly a kilometre with stalls piled high with fresh goat cheeses from the Monts du Lyonnais, cured sausages, crisp cardoons, and seasonal produce. Locals greet neighbors warmly over coffee at sunny pavement cafe tables. The cheerful chatter of market vendors creates an authentic village ambiance.
Inspect the bronze relief panels adorning the pedestal of Jacquard's statue: they depict the proud moment in 1804 when Jacquard demonstrated his working prototype before the municipal council to receive an imperial patent signed by Napoleon Bonaparte.
The name Croix-Rousse derives from a famous sixteenth-century wayside cross carved from local Couzon limestone stained red by iron oxides, erected at this strategic crossroads to Burgundy before being destroyed by Protestant forces during the Wars of Religion.
Listen to the local French spoken around the market stalls: on this plateau, you can still hear flavorful words from the historic Lyonnais dialect, where young boys are called gones and girls are affectionately addressed as fenottes.
Walk north along Rue Hénon to visit the noble parish church of the silk weavers, Église Saint-Denis.