Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The rue Pierre-Mauroy, formerly rue de Paris, is one of the oldest roads in Lille, tracing its origin in the 11th century as rue de la Cordwannerie. It followed the route of the old road of France, linking the GrandPlace to the suburbs of the Malades. In the 13th century, it took the name of rue des Malades because of a nearby leprosy, the Bonne Maison des Ladres Bourgeois, before being renamed rue de Paris after the Revolution. It was a major commercial axis for linen, canvases and buckwheat, linking Lille to Douai, Arras and Paris.

The street has undergone major urban transformations. In the mid-war period, its expansion in the Saint-Maurice district ( 1920s) and its modernization in the Saint-Sauveur district ( 1960s) changed its course. The odd-numbered buildings, destroyed during World War I, were rebuilt backwards, widening the street from 7 to 16 metres. However, a 50-metre stretch between the streets of Molinel and Gustave-Delory retained its original layout, preserving old buildings.

Several remarkable buildings mark the street. The church of Saint-Maurice, ranked in 1840, and the Gantois Hospice (classified in 1923, transformed into a 5-star hotel) are its jewels. The hotel of Marchiennes (XVIIth–XVth centuries, ranked in 1958) and the former Swan hotel (mentioned in 1675), historical inn, testify to its rich past. Four buildings (Nos. 72–74, 100–108, 112–116, 120–122) have their facades and roofs protected since 1944, while Nos. 34 and 36 are listed as historical monuments (1927 and 1988).

The street pays tribute to Pierre Mauroy, Mayor of Lille (1973–2001) and Prime Minister (1981–1984), since his official renouncing on 1 December 2017. A recent tragedy marked its history: the collapse of buildings 42–44 on November 12, 2022, causing the death of a resident. Today, the street combines preserved heritage and urban dynamism, with establishments like Hotel Carlton (4 stars) and classified houses.

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