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Origin and history

The Bourse du travail de Lyon, designed in 1929 by architect Charles Meysson, was initially a high place for revolutionary and trade union activism in Lyon. Inaugurated in 1935 after political tensions (Mayor Édouard Herriot refused to sing the song of International), it housed the Albert Thomas Hall, dedicated to workers' meetings and social struggles from 1936 to 1968. Its architecture, adorned with a mosaic by Fernand Fargeot representing Herriot and Meysson, symbolizes the alliance between municipal power and labour movement.

Originally, the building served as a headquarters for trade unions (CGT, CFDT, FSU), with 55 permanent rooms, meeting spaces, and a vocation of popular education via theatre. In 1966, Mayor Louis Pradel modified its use, favouring performances (concerts, one-man shows) while maintaining a right of preemption for union meetings. The hall, with a capacity of 1920 seats, became a hybrid place, mixing entertainment and social memory.

Partially classified as historical monuments in 1989 for its facades, roofs and decorated atrium, the Bourse du Travail embodies the legacy of the Lyon labour struggles. Its interior decoration, made by local artists in 1936, includes frescoes in socialist realism style, now partially altered by renovations (such as the removal of the ceiling light in 1971). The site remains managed jointly by the city and the unions, perpetuating its dual cultural and militant role.

The exterior mosaic, installed in 1934 by 35 artisans, illustrates the city embellished by work and reflects the initial ambition of the project: to create a space that is both utilitarian and symbolic for the workers. The site's archives keep track of the major strikes (metallos in 1938, traminots in 1958, civil servants in 1953), while its address, 205 rue de Créqui, makes it a major geographical and historical landmark of the 3rd arrondissement.

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