BERLIET - 3 rue Michel Perret aux Brotteaux 1894-1903, then 12 rue des Quatre Maisons à Monplaisir, then in Vénissieux en 1915 - Marius Berliet, founder, was born in 1866 in the Croix-Rousse district of Lyon. Berliet automobiles were the most important French manufacturer of heavy goods vehicles. Berliet is the only one of all the manufacturers who prospered in Lyon at the dawn of the automobile age to have survived. Marius Berliet designed his first engine in 1894. The following year he built a complete car. The company was founded in 1899. In 1902, he took over the business of the Lyon-based manufacturer Audibert & Lavirotte in the Lyon-Monplaisir district (250 employees and 5,000 m² of covered space). In 1907, the first truck was manufactured. In 1916, Marius Berliet purchased 400 hectares of land in Vénissieux-Saint-Priest and, within two years, had the factory operational. Paul Berliet, born in 1918, the second youngest child, took over the reins of the company in 1950. Between 1950 and 1974, the company experienced significant growth. The workforce gradually increased from 6,800 in 1951 to 24,000 in 1974. Berliet focused its efforts on exports to Europe and on developing an industrialization policy in developing countries to meet their own needs, beginning in 1958. Simultaneously, a regional decentralization policy was implemented, with the creation of several factories within a 60-kilometer radius of Lyon. By 1975, Automobiles Marius Berliet employed 24,000 people. The French government decided to integrate Berliet into Renault. In 1978, Berliet became Renault VI after absorbing Saviem. In 1980, the Berliet and Saviem brands disappeared, replaced by the Renault brand. www.fondationberliet.org

LUC COURT - Luc Court Automobiles, 88-92 rue Robert - Mr. Luc Court, an ECL engineer, had been manufacturing electrical equipment since 1892, and in 1898 he began building automobiles. After a few attempts with electric cars, he quickly turned to gasoline-powered vehicles, and by 1899 he was building small cars with a front-mounted, horizontally opposed, two-cylinder engine that caused a sensation at the time for the simplicity of their components. From the outset, these cars distinguished themselves in various competitions, including the AC Forézien hill climb, which they won in June 1904. One of these cars, specially designed by Mr. Luc Court for hill climbs, is on display at the Rochetaillée Museum; it dates from 1901-1902 and already has the gearshift located under the steering wheel. Numerous touring models with two, four, and six-cylinder engines were manufactured until the First World War. They were equipped with the "Minimax" carburetor, patented in 1902 by Mr. Court. It was the first to feature a special jet for starting and idling, and two other jets that activated via vacuum depending on the power output. In 1907, the company acquired the Lacoin patent for the demountable chassis, and numerous models were built using this system. This system allowed for several body styles to be used with the same front end, changing them according to the season or the vehicle's intended use. More than a thousand 1500 kg light trucks were delivered to the army during the First World War (1914-1918). They were legendary for their robustness. Several of them, still in service 20 years after being purchased from the State Property Office, were requisitioned in September 1939. After the armistice, production resumed with 4-cylinder cars of 12 and 20 hp. Passenger cars were built regularly until 1933; a few examples were still made to order until 1936. Production of gasoline trucks ceased in 1941 and that of diesel trucks in 1952. Luc Court was a major supplier to the French Post Office (PTT), which appreciated his robust and fast vans. Painted brown with black fenders, they were a common sight on our streets for many years. (according to Lucien Loreille)

DARD - In 1867, an inventor named DARD proposed equipping Lyon with a steam-powered omnibus service. His vehicle, which he had christened "Locomotion," consisted of a tractor pulling two passenger cars. During the demonstration trial, the vehicle was involved in an accident, and the project was abandoned. (according to Lucien Loreille)

GABERT - Rue Bugeaud - A mechanic, Pierre GABERT, based on Rue Bugeaud, built a road locomotive in 1883. (according to Lucien Loreille)

ISOBLOC - Véhicules Isobloc, place du Bachut Lyon-Monplaisir - Founded shortly before the Second World War, this company launched chassisless coaches with welded tubular frames, built under license from the American company GAR-WOOD. The rear-mounted engine was a Matford V8. During the occupation, this was replaced by a Rochet-Schneider. A few years ago, the ISOBLOC business was transferred to Annonay, where production continued at the Besset coachbuilding workshop. (according to Lucien Loreille)

PATAY - In 1887, the Lyon industrialist Marius Patay, a manufacturer of electric motors, built a road locomotive which he named "Colibri" (Hummingbird). This steam tricycle weighed 700 kg. The authorities of the time authorized it to operate only on specific routes: Lyon and Vénissieux, Lyon and L'Arbresle, and Vaise - Place du Pont. They also limited its speed to 8 km/h in the city and 20 km/h in the countryside and prohibited it from stopping on tracks containing a tram line. The Colibri was later modified to run on narrow-gauge rails. It still exists and was exhibited at the "Locomotions" retrospective held at the Palais de la Foire in 1958. (according to Lucien Loreille)

SOVEL - Société Sovel. Véhicules Electriques Industriels, 154 rue Léon-Blum, Villeurbanne - Messrs. Maurice Audibert and Emile Lavirotte built their first vehicle in 1893 and can be considered the first manufacturers in our city. The engines were 2- or 4-cylinder, located either at the front or rear depending on the model. Transmission was by belts or chains. The chassis was made of steel tubing. Some cars were entered in contemporary races; one achieved a respectable finish in the 1899 Nice-La Turbie race. Around fifty cars, vans, and buses were built until 1902, the year the business went into liquidation and the premises were bought by Berliet. (according to Lucien Loreille)

VITRAC-DUGELAY - M. Christolhomme, manufacturer of motor trucks, 50 rue de Montchat, Lyon - This business reportedly began in 1908 and ended in 1911, producing no more than ten vehicles. It is interesting to note that several "heavy goods vehicle" categories were included in the Chères-Limonest hill climb in April 1908. The two Vitrac-Dugelay trucks entered finished 3rd and 4th in the 1000 kg class.  (according to Lucien Loreille)