Lyon. A brush-clearing TikToker, unsanitary conditions and prostitution in Gerland, and the renovation of the University Bridge... Six news stories you shouldn't miss this week
Every Sunday, Le Progrès reviews the six major news stories of the week in Lyon. On the menu this week: a landscaper voluntarily clears brush from the streets of Lyon, an artist paints Benzema on an OL jersey, and an "open-air dump" in Gerland.
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On Rue du Vercors, in Gerland (7th arrondissement ), mattresses, glass bottles, cardboard boxes, tires, and even a bathtub litter the ground. An "open-air dump," according to Bruno, a resident for 30 years. For several years, his neighborhood has also been the scene of prostitution. He has counted nearly 60 vans below his house. According to him, this activity is partly responsible for the growing unsanitary conditions in his neighborhood. "It's linked to the vans. When you see condoms on the ground..."
Another problem is the lack of parking for residents and their visitors. "It seems like there are no fines, even though these vehicles are there 24 hours a day. [...] In one of the parking lots, you have camper vans that haven't moved for five years. People live in them, and they don't bother with the waste: they just throw everything away."
“Vandalism” or good deed: this Lyonnais clears public spaces in his spare time
An initiative that's as much displeased as it is applauded. Robin Gervais, a 33-year-old landscaper, voluntarily clears brush in poorly maintained public spaces in Lyon. Phone in hand, he films his work in his spare time and posts it online. The videos are a hit on TikTok and Instagram, garnering thousands of views. "I saw that the concept was generating a reaction, and it took off immediately," he says happily.
And for good reason, these actions divide opinion. Some residents "give him thumbs up and congratulate him." Political figures such as Édouard Hoffmann, close to Jean-Michel Aulas , even go so far as to repost his videos, highlighting "the pragmatism of this person." On the other hand, the young man is strongly criticized by other Internet users who denounce a significant "destruction" for the environment. "It's not maintenance but vandalism," castigates Quentin Carpentier, deputy mayor of the 9th arrondissement.
Elevator breakdowns in the Lyon metro are extremely common. Photo Alix Villeroy
In the metro, elevator breakdowns are extremely common. "Out of order," one can read, displayed on many of them. While for the majority of Lyon residents, this means a little extra effort, taking the stairs, to exit the station, this is not the case for people with reduced mobility. Like Abderrahmane Atoussi, who uses a wheelchair. "It's disabling," he comments. "It prevents us from using public transport, and it excludes us from society."
And he's not the only one. Alexandre, a Georgian who arrived in France a few years ago, was forced to stop his French lessons. "The journey was too complicated," laments the man, who had to add half an hour to his trip due to malfunctioning elevators. According to Sytral, these "breakdowns observed over the past several months can be explained by the advanced aging of many elevators, some of which are over 30 years old." The company specifies, however, that 24 elevators on the network will be replaced before the end of the year on line D.
"For Lyon and Olympique Lyonnais, I chose Benzema": this artist paints players on football club jerseys
He combines his passion for sports with his passion for drawing. Matthias Hamzaoui, aka "Mats Drawing," transforms football jerseys into works of art. The 28-year-old, with 150,000 Instagram followers, visits ten French football clubs to create a portrait of a player from a photo, using acrylics, felt-tip pens, or colored pencils.
"I spend three days in each city, two of which are spent painting and one to talk with the player's entourage, or even the player himself if he is present," he adds. "It's a moment of encounter that I am very attached to and sensitive to." While in Lyon on August 15, he chose Benzema to represent OL.
While the renovation of the University Bridge was initially planned for 2026, it will likely have to wait until the next term. The bridge, which connects the Ainay district to Quai Claude Bernard, dates back to 1903 and is in dire need of a facelift. Two site assessments were conducted in 2024 to determine which parts would need to be replaced or renovated.
The result: metal parts corroded by rainwater, and lead and asbestos under the paint. The two sculptures located at the bridge entrance have also already been covered in netting. The masonry, meanwhile, is in "good condition." As for the paint, it will be reseda green, "the oldest color."
In Ménival, the express tramway of western Lyon is shaking up the neighborhood
In the 5th arrondissement, the Ménival district is at the forefront of the future colossal construction site of the West Lyon Express Tramway (TEOL). And for good reason, it should house, in 2032, one of the stations of the line that will connect Confluence ( 2nd ) to Alaï (Tassin-la-Demi-Lune). It is also at this point that the tram will exit the tunnel, which is supposed to connect the peninsula and the west of Lyon.
At the heart of the construction site: the future of two small buildings on Avenue de Ménival is uncertain. Owned by the SACVL and dating from the late 1950s, they house around forty homes and are scheduled to be demolished before being rebuilt. This is a boon for Sytral Mobilités, which claims to have "seized the opportunity presented by this work and approached the SACVL to ask them to temporarily occupy the land freed up by the demolition of two buildings."
Le Progres
