Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Lyon-Brotteaux station, located in the 6th arrondissement of Lyon, was initially opened in 1859 as a terminus of the Geneva-Lyon line. Built of wood for military reasons (near Fort des Brotteaux), it was connected to the station of Perrache in November 1859. The law of 1884 triggering the decommissioning of the fort allowed its replacement by a hard-walled building, built between 1904 and 1908 under the direction of the engineer Victor-Louis Rascol and the architect Paul d'Arbaut for the PLM Company.

The new station, inaugurated in 1908, became a major railway node on the Paris-Marseille-Lyon-Geneva axis. His travelling building, decorated with canvases depicting the landscapes of the lines served (works by Charles Lacour, Antoine Barbier and others), was classified as a historical monument in 1982. Despite its pioneering role in welcoming the first TGVs in 1981, its size and inadequate infrastructure led to its closure in 1983 for the benefit of Part-Dieu station, located 700 metres further south.

Disused, the station was rehabilitated between 2002 and 2006 by architect Yves Heskia. Today, its premises house offices (Agutte sales house, law firms), a brewery, and shops. The metal hall was demolished, but the no-lost room and its original decorations remain. The site, served by the metro (Station Brotteaux), remains an architectural testimony of the golden age of the rail in France.

The Brotteaux station symbolizes Lyon's urban change, from a central role in the PLM network to a heritage conversion. Its 1982 classification protects its facades, roofs, and the hall of the lost, while the docks, still visible, recall its past railway activity. The murals commissioned to celebrate the destinations served illustrate the cultural and economic importance of railways in the early 20th century.

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