Rue Gouraud

Rue Gouraud (Arabic: شارع غورو) is a mixed residential and commercial street in Gemmayzeh, a neighborhood in the Rmeil district of Beirut in Lebanon. It is named after French General Henri Gouraud. Gemmayze, and Rue Gouraud specifically, and competes with the trendy village-type neighborhood of Badaro,^[1] as one of Beirut's bohemian quarters. the district is full of narrow streets and historic buildings from the French era. The neighborhood is well known today for its trendy bars and pubs, cafes, restaurants and lounges, most of which are directly located on Rue Gouraud. ^[2]
Rue Gouraud is known especially for its culinary scene that is popular with Beirut's fashionistas.^[3] The street runs east of Beirut Central District and the Saifi Village, extending from Avenue Georges Haddad and reaching the Corniche du Fleuve. In 2004, Travel + Leisure magazine called the street "SoHo by the Sea," due to its colorful and chic cafés amid 1950s apartment buildings and hole-in-the-wall shops.^[4]

Typical Beiruti homes in,زقاقة الدبس, Rue Gouraud, Gemmayzeh.

Modern pub in a Colonial-era building

Typical night-scene in Gemmayze

Public event on the Escalier de l'Art

Modern and old architecture along the street

Adjacent to Rue Gouraud are the Saint Nicolas Stairs, also known as Escalier de l'Art, where art festivals are held every year. The stairs lead to Rue Sursock further to the South. The area is also within walking distance from Rue Monnot and the Saifi Village.

Rue Gouraud and the rest of Gemmayzeh were damaged extensively in the 2020 Beirut explosions, which destroyed many buildings.^[5]

Gallery

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References

1. New York Times-Badaro
2. Malouf, Greg and Malouf, Lucy. Saha: A Chef's Journey Through Lebanon and Syria, page 31
3. Carter, Dunston, and Thomas. Syria and Lebanon, page 283
4. "Beirut is Back".
5. Chappell, Bill (4 August 2020). "Enormous Explosion Rocks Beirut, Killing More Than 100, Wounding Thousands". NPR.

33°53′43″N 35°30′37″E