Vénissieux

Vénissieux inherited its name of a Gallo-Roman farm naming Vénicies. Until the first industrial revolutions Vénissieux was an agricultural village (today the “Old Borough” around the Leon-Sublet place), of the vines were mainly present on the plate of Minguettes.

The city knew a very fast increase in its population: d' a little more than 20.000 inhabitants in the years 1950, it reached more than 75.000 inhabitants in the years 1970, thanks to the construction of great units, in particular the city of Minguettes. This district is symbolic system of a form of the urbanization encouraged in the years 1960 which gave, about 20 years later, the disadvantaged districts which had lost their attraction d' origin. From the years 1980, d' important programs of urban renovation transformed Minguettes, reducing the too strong population density to the profit d' a better framework of life. This restoration explains the strong fall of the number of the inhabitants in Vénissieux since then.

Tarnished by its bad image of “hot city of suburbs”, Vénissieux became nevertheless a gravitational and pleasant city.

The Leon-Sublet place is the old heart of the borough of Vénissieux, at the Middle Ages, the place was defended by a strong castle, it concentrates today:

• The old town hall built on the foundations of the Common House (XVIII century), aujourd' today become communal museum of Resistance and the Deportation.
• The Saint-Germain church which with the Middle Ages was in the enclosure of this castle, this is the oldest building of the commune by its vault of the Virgin and her bell-tower of XV century, the church shelters a crucifix out of wooden carved of the XVIII century and the oldest table of the commune, the table of saint Germain the Resident of Auxerre, owner of this church; painting of the XVIII century and its gilded framework of the XVII century, this jewel of the commune is registered with l' additional inventory of the historic buildings.
• The holy church Jeanne-d' Arc of Parilly (XIX century) is registered it also under the historic buildings.
• Many parks: The park of Parilly, the Louis-Dupic park ( the town hall), the park of Minguettes, the plate of the Large Grounds.
• The Old Cemetery of Vénissieux.
• The inn of international youth.
• The War memorial, Louis-Dupic park.
• The House of the People “Centers resistance, claims and d' working actions. Place of reflexion, creation and fraternity in front of the hardness of the engagements” Andre Gerin. Today center of the trade unions, municipal theatre and exposure place of the visual art.
• With the presence on its territory of the factories Renault Trucks (old Berliet factories), the city is one of the cradles of French car. Presence of the Berliet museum presenting of the old and modern vehicles.