Lyon is a giant guestbook. Every building, neighborhood, and alleyway is a page in our history that we rediscover over time. After telling you about the Gros Caillou and the shell-shaped staircase, it’s time to tell you about this 15th-century house. Old stones are definitely having their moment! Let’s put this into context: at that time, France was locked in battle with the English during the Hundred Years’ War, Gutenberg had just invented the printing press, and Christopher Columbus was preparing his caravel to set sail for the Americas…And at the same time, artisans, masons, and other workers were flocking to 24 Rue Saint-Jean to build the Laurencin House.
The Laurencin House, the oldest house in Lyon
This house, whose earliest remains date back to the 11th century—when it served as the prestigious residence of the Count of Forez—took on its current architectural form in the 15th century, although its façade facing Rue Saint-Jean dates from the 18th century. Over the centuries, the house was inhabited by the city’s most prominent figures, eventually becoming the Laurencin House ( also known as the Grand Palais Laurencin). The Laurencins made their fortune at the many fairs that Lyon hosted at the time, eventually becoming one of the city’s wealthiest and most influential families.
Inside, the building’s architecture is typical of the Gothic period, featuring a remarkable spiral staircase and a courtyard surrounded by loggias with ribbed vaults. The house has stood the test of time despite the upheavals of history (the French Revolution, the Canuts’ revolt, World War II, etc.), but it has not escaped the disaffection of the people of Lyon for Old Lyon, which was long left to decay.
During the 19th and 20th centuries, Old Lyon was patched up with a few quick fixes. There was even talk of razing it with bulldozers to make way for a huge, brand-new concrete boulevard. It owes its survival to the initiative launched by the Neyret couple, who fought tooth and nail to ensure this witness to our history was recognized for its true value: an exceptional universal value recognized by UNESCO.
The Lamartine family, residents of the Laurencin house in Lyon
Such an exceptional building naturally attracted distinguished residents, as the famous writer’s grandparents lived there for several years. Today, the house is open to the public, and we can only invite you to step inside for an intimate encounter with this living testament to our history. The traboule connecting Rue Saint-Jean to Rue du Bœuf is also a true architectural treasure.
“The past, the future—these two halves of life, one of which says ‘never’ and the other ‘always,’” wrote Lamartine. That’s how much of a bright future the Laurencin house still has ahead of it!
The building is located in a private condominium (24 rue Saint Jean, Lyon 5). If you’re lucky enough to be able to go inside, we ask that you exercise the utmost discretion and strictly respect the residents’ peace and quiet.
