Architecture

Anciennes Galeries Lafayette

Lyon

Anciennes Galeries Lafayette is a former department store building in Lyon. It began as Le Grands magasins des Cordeliers, built in the 1890s on Place des Cordeliers by architect Prosper Perrin. The building was linked to the redevelopment of the Grolée district, which included the piercing of rue du Président-Carnot in 1890 and the extension of rue Symphorien-Champier to Place des Cordeliers, with the suppression of rues de Pavie and Meissonnier. Three bourgeois buildings were planned around a common courtyard with ground-floor shops in the triangular block M, and they were constructed in 1895 in the same style and height as nearby buildings. The real estate operation was described as a financial failure, but it enabled the concession company to lease the premises for a department store during construction. The buildings were later adapted by Prosper Perrin, with walls and stairs removed and apartments reorganized. Galeries Lafayette took over in 1919, and the store was significantly enlarged in 1924–1925. After 1999, the site was occupied by Saturn, then by Boulanger.

Map showing the location of Anciennes Galeries Lafayette in Lyon
Location of Anciennes Galeries Lafayette in Lyon

Nearby Objects

From Le Grands magasins des Cordeliers to Galeries Lafayette

The Anciennes Galeries Lafayette building in Lyon began as Le Grands magasins des Cordeliers, a large department store built in the 1890s on the place des Cordeliers. It was designed by architect Prosper Perrin. The store was taken over by Galeries Lafayette in 1919, and the building was significantly enlarged between 1924 and 1925. After 1999, the premises were occupied by Saturn, followed later by Boulanger. This sequence of uses reflects the long commercial history of the site in the city center.

From Grollee Redevelopment to Department Store Use

The Anciennes Galeries Lafayette site was shaped by the Grollee district redevelopment begun in 1890, which included piercing rue du President-Carnot and extending rue Symphorien-Champier to place des Cordeliers while suppressing rues de Pavie and Meissonnier. In the triangular block M, three bourgeois buildings were planned around a common courtyard with ground floor shops, and these buildings were constructed in 1895 in the same style and height as the nearby buildings between quai Jules-Courmont and rue du President-Carnot. The real estate operation was later described as a financial failure, but the concession company was able to lease the buildings to Monsieur Sineux while construction was still underway for use as a department store. In 1895, Histoire formed Societe E. Sineux et Cie, and later carried out major works by architect Prosper Perrin to adapt the buildings by removing walls and stairs and reorganizing the apartments. Galeries Lafayette took over management in 1919. Before 1999, the Habitat brand replaced Galeries Lafayette before moving to La Part-Dieu, and in 1999 the site was replaced by a Planete Saturn store, renamed Saturn in 2009.