Before you stands the Château de la Bachasse a testament to Lyon’s rich history. Its elegant facade hints at stories of silk merchants and railway journeys.
The Château de la Bachasse wasn’t always this grand. A simpler farmhouse once stood here its courtyard featuring a pond a bachasse. The name itself whispers of this humble beginning. In 1965 the original manor house was demolished. Only ruins remained.
Then came Antoine Alexandre Giraud a Lyons silk merchant. In the mid-1800s he envisioned something grander. He commissioned the Château de la Bachasse. Architects Turbet and Alexis Tissot worked tirelessly. They shaped the stone and tile between 1880 and 1890.
The result is a rectangular main building. Square pavilions grace each corner. The chateau boasts a ground floor a first floor and an attic level. Dormer windows peek from the slate roof. Straight or triangular lintels top the windows. Stone chains emphasize the corners. The south facade features a graceful staircase. It leads up to an elegant balustraded porch. Eleven double flights of steps invite you closer.
This wasn’t just a private residence. In 1947 Noémie Giraud sold the Château de la Bachasse to the SNCF. The railway company transformed it. It became a training centre and recreation area for their employees. Later the AGEFOREL association took over management. Today the Château de la Bachasse hosts events. It welcomes railway workers and their families.
The annual Bachasse flea market fills the grounds. Over 300 vendors display their wares. Imagine the bustle the bartering the laughter echoing through the centuries-old grounds. The Château de la Bachasse continues its transformation. From a simple farmhouse to a silk merchant’s dream to a hub for the railway community it evolves. It stands as a reminder of Lyon’s ever-changing yet enduring spirit.