Architecture

Gare Part-Dieu - Vivier Merle

Lyon

Gare Part-Dieu - Vivier Merle is a French metro station on Lyon Metro line B, located on boulevard Vivier-Merle near the gare de Lyon-Part-Dieu in the La Part-Dieu neighborhood of Lyon, in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. It was put into service in 1978 with the opening of line B and served as its terminus for three years, until the line was extended to Jean Macé. The station also helped define the layout of other original metro stations in Lyon.

The station serves the Lyon-Part-Dieu railway station, the Westfield La Part-Dieu shopping center above the station, and many bus and tramway connections, making it part of a major multimodal hub on boulevard Vivier-Merle. It has four accesses, automatic ticket dispensers and validators at each access, and access gates. A renovation increased the sense of light and space through white panels with black frieze motifs inspired by Étienne-Jules Marey’s work on chronophotography, along with black and white photographs referencing Lyon’s history and cinematic heritage.

Map showing the location of Gare Part-Dieu - Vivier Merle in Lyon
Location of Gare Part-Dieu - Vivier Merle in Lyon

Nearby Objects

Station at Part-Dieu

Gare Part-Dieu - Vivier Merle is a station on Lyon Metro line B, located on boulevard Vivier-Merle near the gare de Lyon-Part-Dieu in the La Part-Dieu neighborhood of Lyon, the prefecture of the Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes region. It was put into service in 1978 during the opening of line B. The station serves the gare de Lyon-Part-Dieu and the Westfield La Part-Dieu shopping center above the station. It also provides access to many bus and tramway connections, making it an important interchange point in the area.

Station Layout and Renovation

Gare Part-Dieu - Vivier Merle was put into service with the opening of metro line B in Lyon. It remained the terminus for three years, until the line was extended to Jean Mace. The station also served as a model for the layout of other original metro stations in Lyon. It was originally equipped with elevators for people with reduced mobility and later fitted with access gates.

The station was renovated to increase both lighting and the perception of space. This was achieved through white panels with black frieze motifs, while the decoration drew inspiration from Etienne-Jules Marey's work on chronophotography. Black and white photographs referring to Lyon's history and cinematic heritage were also included. To create a more open interior, the number of seats was reduced in favor of ischial supports. The station also gained a new access at 39 boulevard Vivier-Merle as part of the underground reorganization of place Beraudier.

Multimodal Access at Gare Part-Dieu - Vivier Merle

Gare Part-Dieu - Vivier Merle is organized as a major multimodal hub on boulevard Vivier-Merle, associated with a bus station and Lyon-Part-Dieu station. The service des voyageurs station has four accesses, and each access is equipped with automatic ticket dispensers, validators, and access gates. The station is served by all line circulations, reflecting its central role in the network.

The station area is split by rue Servient and includes tramway line T1, opened in 2001, as well as trolleybus lines C1, C2, and C13, and bus lines C6, C7, C9, C25, 25, 38, and 70. From Gare Part-Dieu - Vivier Merle, Gare Part-Dieu - Villette can be reached by crossing the station. That nearby station includes tramways T3, in service since 2006, and T4, since 2013, Rhonexpress since 2010, bus line C9 on avenue Georges Pompidou, express bus line Cars Region Express X75, and TER coaches.

North of the station, at the cours Lafayette intersection, Part-Dieu - Jules Favre is served by trolleybus lines C3, C13 in one direction, and C23 on the cours, as well as lines C1, C2, and bus lines C6 and 70 heading toward Brotteaux. The night bus line Pleine Lune PL1 also passes through this station.

Pedestrian access from the station reaches nearby streets and places, including La Part-Dieu shopping center, Maurice-Ravel auditorium, the municipal library, and other district facilities such as the headquarters of Keolis Lyon and SYTRAL Mobilites.

The Mosaique Artwork in the Station Corridor

Since 1983, the corridor between the station and the Gare de Lyon-Part-Dieu has contained an artwork titled Mosaique. Created by Jean Piton, it is composed of a steel frame with colored tiles arranged to form a mosaic. The work is placed in a transit space, linking the station environment with the Gare de Lyon-Part-Dieu.