“Brrrr.” Feel that chill in the air? We’re standing at the entrance to Impasse Saint-Polycarpe. It’s a fitting start to our exploration. This narrow passage holds secrets and stories.
Impasse Saint-Polycarpe begins at an angle off Rue Saint-Polycarpe. It runs along Rue Romarin. The impasse heads west as an extension of Rue Désirée.
This lane is quite narrow. On the south side are aligned houses. Buildings on the north side rise five or six stories. These are old and mostly made of exposed stone. They surround two successive courtyards. These courtyards vary in depth.
The Impasse Saint-Polycarpe is named after Saint Polycarp. He was a disciple of the Apostle John. Polycarp lived in Smyrna now Izmir in Turkey. Two of his disciples became Lyon’s first bishops. Saint Pothin and Saint Irénée founded Christianity in Lyon and France around the year 150. Saint Polycarp died in 155. Lyon also dedicated a church to Saint Polycarp. It stands a hundred meters up Rue Rozier.
This area once belonged to the Convent of the Capuchins. Urbanization occurred after the monks left in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Since buildings already existed to the west, it remained a dead end. That is why it is called Impasse Saint-Polycarpe.
Today the Impasse Saint-Polycarpe has four associations related to mountains at number 2. You will find FFMM UFAM UNAPMR and INGENIUM there.
But the real gem lies at number 18. Here is one of Lyon’s smallest cinemas. It is called Le Cinéma. Its film selection is carefully curated. The cinema has been recognized as an “art et essai” cinema since 1976.
Finding Le Cinéma can feel like a scene from a thriller. At night the Impasse Saint-Polycarpe is dimly lit. If they ever screen “The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari” again rush to see it. It’s an unforgettable experience.
The cinema is hidden behind the only lit door in the impasse. There’s no sign. You need to know it’s here. Inside this pocket-sized cinema the projectionist acts as the usher and film critic.
Step inside the unique theater with its old-fashioned charm. Sink into the soft armchairs. Listen to the clatter of the film. Notice how the image trembles slightly. “Shhh!” The movie is about to start. From now on this could be your hideout.
So as you leave Impasse Saint-Polycarpe remember Saint Polycarp and secret cinema. This little street is full of surprises.