Rue de la République

Here you are in the heart of Lyon’s shopping streets, at the start of the famous rue de la République, where you’ll find all the big brands at the foot of beautiful 19th-century buildings. Commonly known by the locals as “rue de la Ré”, it is the Presqu’île’s main thoroughfare and also it’s longest street. It is also Lyon’s biggest shopping street, leading straight to Place Bellecour. So if you’ve got some shopping to do, you’re bound to find what you’re looking for here! Running through both Lyon’s 1st and 2nd districts, this street is not as old as some of the city’s other thoroughfares. Laid out in the mid-19th century, setting an example for other urban planning projects. At the time, the aim was to create wide, straight streets and beautiful squares that highlighted elegant buildings. This is how the rue de la République, originally known as the rue Impériale, came into being.