Architecture

Hôtel Terminus

Lyon

Hôtel Terminus is a hotel on cours de Verdun in Lyon, built in 1905 and now known as Le Mercure Lyon Centre Château Perrache. It was previously called Château Perrache and Hôtel Terminus, and is owned by the Accor group. The hotel was decided in 1902 by the Compagnie des chemins de fer de Paris à Lyon et à la Méditerranée for the Gare de Lyon-Perrache area, and was constructed on the site of the former Rinck brewery. Its interior once featured Art nouveau decorations by Henri Martin, Ernest Laurent, and Edgar Boutry.

The hotel’s history includes a 1959 renovation that destroyed some decorative elements, including the dining room ceiling. It later experienced a decline after the opening of Gare de Lyon-Part-Dieu in 1983 and the construction of the Centre d'échanges de Perrache. The building was bought and restored between 1987 and 1989, then renamed several times. It is protected as a historical monument, with its facades and roofs listed, and the north Marquise and east facade classified.

Map showing the location of Hôtel Terminus in Lyon
Location of Hôtel Terminus in Lyon

Nearby Objects

Hotel Terminus in Lyon

Hotel Terminus, now known as Le Mercure Lyon Centre Chateau Perrache and previously called Chateau Perrache, is a hotel on cours de Verdun in Lyon. Built in 1905, it forms part of the city's built heritage through its long history of changing names and continued use as a hotel. The property is owned by the Accor group.

History and Transformation of the Hotel

In 1902, the Compagnie des chemins de fer de Paris a Lyon a la Mediterranee decided to build a hotel at Gare de Lyon-Perrache, on the site of the former Rinck brewery. The hotel featured Art nouveau interior decorations by Henri Martin, Ernest Laurent, and Edgar Boutry, giving it a distinctive decorative identity. Over time, its history also became closely tied to major political events, as it hosted Section IV of Klaus Barbie, which was responsible for fighting the Resistance. The hotel later gained wider cultural recognition when it inspired the title of Marcel Ophuls documentary Hotel Terminus.

The building also underwent several changes that affected both its appearance and its reputation. A renovation in 1959 destroyed some decorations, including the dining room ceiling. In the 1970s, the construction of the Centre d'echanges de Perrache isolated the hotel and worsened its image. After SNCF transferred the concession to Frantour in 1982, and after Gare de Lyon-Part-Dieu opened in 1983 as the citys main station, the hotels business declined. Between 1987 and 1989, the Societe des Hotels de Bourgogne group bought and restored the hotel. It then joined the Pullman chain and became Pullman Perrache in 1989, before later being renamed Hotel Chateau Perrache under the Grand Hotel Mercure brand.

Heritage Protection

Htel Terminus is associated with a building that is both classified and listed as a historical monument. The protected elements include the facades and roofs of the hotel, which are listed. In addition, the north marquise on the Verdun courtyard side is classified, as is the east facade in Lyon - Chateau Perrache. These designations indicate that several parts of the building are formally recognized for their heritage value.