2025 | La Sablière: a neighbourhood in Namur that celebrates Lafayette

The neighbourhood of La Sablière, located in the inner suburbs of the city centre of Namur, celebrates the historical and cultural ties between Namur and Lafayette, which have been sister cities since 1979.

As part of the redevelopment of the former sandpit site of Bouge, several streets have been given names to highlight Louisiana’s French-speaking culture and recall the transatlantic links between the two cities.

At the Municipal Council meeting on 25 June 2025, Namur decided to assign these new streets names inspired by the history and culture of the Acadian and Creole communities of Louisiana.

New denominations: a tribute to the twinning

• Place de Lafayette – in reference to the city twinned with Namur since 1979
• Parc de Vermilionville – historical name of Lafayette, evoking the bayou that runs through the city
• Rue de l’Acadiana – name of the region surrounding Lafayette, associated with Acadian descendants
• Chemin des Écrevisses – in tribute to the local culinary specialty
• Chemin du Bayou – a reminder of Louisiana’s emblematic waterway
• Chemin des Vieux Chênes – in reference to the old oak trees of the region, including the St. John Cathedral Oak
• Sentier des Créoles – highlighting Creole cultural identity
• Sentier des Acadiens – in remembrance of the French refugees deported from Acadia in the 18th century

A strong symbol of culture and French

These new denominations transform La Sablière into a symbolic space where the history, culture and identity of the two cities meet. They offer residents and visitors a tangible reminder of the lasting ties that unite Namur and Lafayette, and bear witness to the importance attached to the French language and cultural exchange in the context of this twinning agreement.