Part of a Series on Vincentian Heritage Places

rue des Grès

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In the spring of 1833 Frédéric left the home of André-Marie Ampère to live in the rue des Grès (now known as rue Cujas), where other Lyonnais students were located. In March he wrote to his mother: “I have… a circle of friends who gather every day in worthwhile enterprises and whom I love as brothers, from the old childhood companion, good Henri; to Lallier, that excellent young man; Lamache the soul of an artist; and practically a knight, Cherruel, the converted Saint-Simonian…. What delightful hours we have spent together speaking of country, family, religion, science, literature, legislation…. What satisfaction to be with sometimes about thirty young men at the famous M. Cornbalot’s sermon, or the evening gatherings at M. de Montalembert’s.” Lallier, Lamache, and Cherruel would all become members of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul after its early beginnings in 1833.

The young Frédéric had a serious and even preachy side, as Caron depicts, but to balance this, he also possessed a genuinely friendly, social side, which explains why so many young men were attracted to Ozanam and found in him an ideal friend. In one instance Frédéric invited a group to a soirée at his apartment on the rue des Grès. One of those in attendance put it best: “But oh! How we did enjoy ourselves … we nearly died of laughter, and between times there was such earnest, enthusiastic talk on so many deep subjects. I don’t believe young men know how to amuse themselves or laugh nowadays, as we used to do; they want so much money for everything; we used to be jolly on nothing at all.”

Simple pleasures and mutual delight in the company of friends were the key to enjoyment, for Frédéric.

Source: Antoine Frédéric Ozanam by Raymond L. Sickinger, University of Notre Dame Press

Rue Cujas (formerly rue des grès)

All Vincentian Places in this Series

Red = Vincent de Paul, Blue = Frederic Ozanam

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