HISTORY OF THE AUTOMOBILE 

 IN LYON 

It is generally accepted that in France, the use of steam power in the 1770s truly marked the beginning of the development of automobiles. In Lyon, Marc Seguin's invention of the tubular boiler in 1825 led to the creation of steam-powered cars, although these vehicles, being too fuel-inefficient and heavy, did not achieve widespread popularity. On June 23, 1854, Marius Berliet, also from Lyon, filed a patent for the construction of a mechanical car.


Indeed, Lyon's thriving industrial environment fostered innovation in mechanics, a field already well-developed in the silk industry with the manufacture of looms. The true beginnings of the automobile industry in Lyon ultimately occurred in the 1890s.

 

It was an exponential start, crowned with success. One of the first regional achievements, albeit experimental, was that of the petroleum engine, mounted on a wooden automobile, by Alphonse Belmont and Antoine Chaboud in 1885.

 

- Audibert & Lavirotte 1898 -

Then, the internal combustion engine, using petroleum as fuel, became standard from 1900 onwards.

 

FROM 1900 TO 1914 :

 

From the beginning of the century, therefore, the automobile developed rapidly in Lyon, but also in the surrounding rural areas; indeed, it became radically more practical and faster to ensure connections between town and country using the automobile.

 

It would not occur to us today to imagine any resistance to the automobile at the beginning of its development. Yet this was indeed the case, particularly in Lyon, where those opposed to cars railed against those in favor of them. Dr. Antoine Gailleton, mayor of Lyon from 1881 to 1900, in particular, had enacted several very restrictive laws regarding cars; for example, to enter the city, one had to present several documents in order to obtain authorization to drive there.

 

It should be noted that at the beginning of the 20th century, the Rhône department had no more than a hundred motorists, whose nuisances were not sufficient to truly disrupt urban life.

 

- Berliet -

The city was so hostile to car drivers that a major Parisian newspaper, specializing in automobiles, offered a special route to avoid Lyon for motorists wishing to travel to the South of France.


This situation, which is quite paradoxical given the very prosperous development of Lyon's automobile factories, is highlighted by the issue of the magazine L'Automobile published in 1906: "The Lyon police seem to forget that Lyon's automobile factories have acquired a very large importance. They are currently waging war on drivers, issuing them fines for every little thing. Fortunately, the manufacturers in the region are fighting tooth and nail to defend themselves and put an end to these stupid harassments."

 

Indeed, this did not prevent the increase in production by Lyon manufacturers, nor the improvement in the quality of their cars. Before the First World War, there were 56 manufacturers, some of whom stood out in particular: Berliet, Cottin-Desgouttes, La Buire, Luc Court, Mieusset, Pilain, and Rochet-Schneider. All these factories, even the well-known ones, were far from being large firms and were limited to small and medium-sized production runs.

 

The number of car buyers also increased, primarily among Lyon's old bourgeoisie, traditionally drawn from the silk industry. Owning a vehicle became a mark of prestige, as evidenced by the introduction of a "car owners" section in Lyon's annals. At the same time, the city's "new rich," who also owned cars but were not socially integrated into the same circles as Lyon's historical bourgeoisie, created "L'Automobile-Club," which became a meeting place for Lyon's new industrialists. The automobile ultimately served as a social link for individuals in these classes. The vehicle then gradually penetrated other social classes, beginning with doctors, who saw it as a more efficient means of transportation for their work.

 

FROM 1914 TO 1930 :

 

The war would not be a hindrance to the Lyon automotive industry; on the contrary, it would adapt very quickly to its needs. Marius Berliet, in particular, would be the first, starting from scratch, to ensure the production of nearly 6,000 shells per day for the French army, beginning in 1915. Other manufacturers would follow his example.

Berliet would also create a factory in Vénissieux, specializing in the production of armored trucks and the famous CBA, used on the Voie Sacrée (Sacred Way) during the liberation of Verdun in 1916. The factory would also produce Renault's FT armored tanks in 1918, at a rate of 15 tanks per day. Furthermore, the workforce there during this wartime period was predominantly female.

 

The Rochet-Schneider company will also supply truck models for the army, known for their flexibility, lightness and adaptability.

 

- Jean Gras 1924 -

In 1916, the first Lyon Fair was held, launched by Mayor Édouard Herriot with the aim of revitalizing Lyon's economy and demonstrating a concrete way to break free from German economic control in France. Among the exhibitors were 25 automobile manufacturers, including 6 from Lyon: Berliet, Cottin & Desgouttes, La Buire, Luc Court, Rochet-Schneider, and Pilain.

 

At the end of the war, the cessation of army orders after 1918, as well as the astronomical tax levied on war profits by the automotive industry, placed it in serious difficulty. In 1919, Rochet-Schneider, for example, had to pay 910,000 francs in war profits tax, out of the 1,100,000 francs generated that year.


These difficulties are further compounded by the need to convert war factories. Indeed, it is necessary to adapt to mass-market production, in which new products, particularly from the United States, have become numerous. Added to this are the scarcity and price of metals, the insufficient workforce, and the massive influx of American vehicles into France, whose mass production makes them unbeatable prices for small Lyon-based businesses.

 

The post-war period was tough for the automotive industry, but it quickly recovered. Thus, in 1923, a document from the Lyon Automobile Manufacturers' Syndicate was published, entitled "Note on the automotive industry of Lyon and its region," which concluded that: "Total production is estimated at 10,000 motor vehicles annually, representing a turnover of more than 250,000,000 francs. Of these figures, more than a third goes to exports, which means that the Lyon automotive industry, in international trade, not only contributes to the balance of the country's trade, but also strives to promote French manufacturing abroad."

 

 

FROM 1930 TO 1940 :

 

From the 1930s onward, the Lyon automotive industry specialized in the design of commercial vehicles for various reasons. Unfortunately, the automotive industry's resurgence was short-lived, and the economic crisis of 1929, which persisted into 1934-1935, severely weakened it. Furthermore, price disparities between local and foreign manufacturers continued to widen, and Lyon's companies could not compete with the mass production of major French manufacturers such as Citroën, Peugeot, and Renault. Consequently, many Lyon-based companies, such as Beck, Phébus, and Philos, closed their doors.
By 1936, only Berliet and Rochet-Schneider remained, specializing, as mentioned earlier, in the production of commercial vehicles, continuing their work from the First World War.

 

Berliet, in particular, is actively pursuing its development in the construction of heavy goods vehicles, largely with military orders.

 

- S.T.E.L.A. -

Unfortunately, Rochet-Schneider's case was less straightforward. The company also ventured into commercial vehicles, but too late, without being able to achieve profitability. It ultimately had to close its doors in 1950.

 

 

AFTER 1940 :

 

Then, between 1940 and 1945, small and medium-sized electric car manufacturers emerged: Chapeaux, Électro-Renard, and Lanoy, among others, to address the gasoline shortages during World War II. However, this episode remains rather anecdotal, as many of them did not survive this new global conflict.

 

Ultimately, no new manufacturers have appeared in Lyon since 1945. Only Berliet remains, which became a subsidiary of Renault in 1978 and took the name "Renault Véhicules Industriels". The company was then sold to the AB Volvo group in 2000, eventually becoming "Renault Trucks", as we know it today.

 

The Rhône-Alpes region, although currently merely the heir to this automotive industrial past, occupied a prominent place in this field, particularly at the beginning of the 20th century.

 

 

- Berliet GLR -

Since the origins of the automobile, there have been more than 200 brands, of which 140 to 150 are located specifically in the Rhône department.

 

 

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