In the post-war period, Vieux Lyon was far from the tourist gem it is today. Dilapidated buildings, shady streets, and neglected heritage: the neighborhood was seen as a hindrance to modernity. At that time, Lyon wanted to move fast, wide, and straight. Even if it meant burying centuries of history under concrete in the name of progress.
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Old Lyon was seen as a blot on the landscape to the point that, in the 1950s, the area was clearly on the list of places to be demolished. Mayor Louis Pradel envisioned a monumental roadway linking Fourvière to the Maréchal Juin bridge. Bulldozers were on standby, hidden passageways were at risk, and facades were destined for dust. The stage was set: either the neighborhood would disappear, or someone would say no.
Annie and Régis Neyret, Heritage Defenders
This "no" would come from an ordinary couple with extraordinary courage. Annie and Régis Neyret joined the association Renaissance du Vieux Lyon and wholeheartedly committed themselves to defend this unique heritage. Their obsession: to prove that these alleyways, hidden courtyards, and Renaissance buildings deserve more than an urban bypass.
Year after year, their fight eventually changes the course of history. Thanks to mobilization, restorations, education, and unwavering determination, the plan for destruction is abandoned. Old Lyon is saved, renovated, and revitalized. What was meant to disappear slowly becomes a symbol.
From a threatened neighborhood to a world treasure
In 1998, the struggle is crowned with the inscription of Old Lyon as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Régis Neyret is directly involved in the committee that helps recognize the neighborhood as a "Universal Outstanding Value." A global recognition for a local fight that took place far from the spotlight.
After their passing in 2019, Lyon pays tribute to those who protected it. In 2023, a statue is inaugurated on the Romain-Rolland quay, near the Thomassin house where the couple lived for 35 years. On the plaque, these simple yet powerful words: “Annie and Régis Neyret, guardians of heritage." Without them, Lyon would definitely look different today.