The coronation of Pope Clement V in Lyon in 1305 is the result of a political power struggle between the King of France and the papacy. After the death of Boniface VIII, Philip the Beautiful imposes his candidate, showing all of Europe that he now has the upper hand in Rome. The choice of Lyon for the coronation, with its Saint-Just church and Saint-Jean cathedral, places the city at the heart of history.
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The Drama of the Gourguillon Climb
On November 14, 1305, the papal procession makes its way through the Gourguillon climb, known as the oldest street in Lyon, amidst the cheers of thousands of locals. But the excitement turns into tragedy: a wall, packed with hundreds of onlookers, collapses as the Pope passes by. Panic ensues: several people are killed, including the Duke of Brittany, and there are injuries, notably Charles of Valois, the king's brother. Pope Clement V, however, escapes unscathed.
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The Legend of the Missing Diamond
The next day, a strange commotion takes over the ascent of Gourguillon. Guards rummage through the debris as curious residents look on. The rumor grows: during his fall, the Pope supposedly lost a diamond from his tiara. The precious stone, still missing, soon attracts hundreds of Lyon residents eager to turn the earth and try their luck. But the famous "Pope's diamond" has never been found...
A Mystery That Still Haunts Lyon
More than 700 years later, the Pope's diamond still sparks conversation in Old Lyon. Between myth and reality, the legend feeds the collective imagination and enhances the mysterious aura of the ascent of Gourguillon, one of the city's most iconic streets. Some residents still love to believe...The precious stone is sleeping somewhere, buried under the cobblestones, waiting for its discoverer. We can bet that you might just run into a few Sunday Indiana Joneses in the neighborhood…