Geneva: Grisélidis Réal has finally found his place at Pâquis

It’s the happy ending of a long saga. This Wednesday, the Council of State validated several new names of streets and other roads proposed by the City of Geneva. Among them is the name of Grisélidis Réal.

We no longer present the writer, painter but also prostitute. Born in Lausanne in 1929 and died in 2005 in Geneva, where she is buried in the cemetery of the Kings, she worked enormously, in particular, to have the rights of sex workers recognized.

From now on, a Geneva square will bear his name. A place in the shape of a triangle, delimited by rue Plantamour and rue du Léman, in “its” Pâquis district.

Refused three times

But nothing was easy in establishing the name of the most famous Geneva courtesan. Three times in fact, the City’s Administrative Council has attempted to do so, as part of the promotion of equality between women and men in the public space. Three times he was refused, notably because it involved renaming an artery that already had a name. And this was not to the taste of local residents.

It was first on rue Jean-Violette, in 2020. Second try in 2022, for a section of rue de Zurich, already in Pâquis. Failed again! Finally, third failure last year, at the Place des Alpes.

Identity and diversity

The fourth attempt was therefore successful. Administrative advisor in charge of equality, Alfonso Gomez is delighted: “Grisélidis Réal is one of the great Genevan figures of the 20th^e century. A pioneer, her commitment to defending the rights of sex workers is remarkable and reminds us that the identity and wealth of Geneva are based in particular on its diversity.”

No change of address will have to be made since no current street name will be modified, the chosen place having until now no official name.

Fountains and terrace

In summer, three large trees – hackberry trees – and two smaller ones, planted more recently, provide welcome shade on this place where an imposing fountain, with non-potable water, and another much more modest, but which, , has the advantage of offering drinking water.

In the summer, the terrace of the Côté Lac restaurant occupies most of this space, which will soon be redeveloped. Grisélidis Réal would undoubtedly have appreciated this animation…

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Xavier Lafargue has been a professional journalist since 1985. After fifteen years spent in sports sections, he opted for local news. He has worked since 2008 in the Geneva section of the Tribune de Genève, a section which he directed for six years before returning to writing.More info

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