The Guignol theater at the gymnasium, or Guignol du Quai before its move

Welcome to this guided tour of 30 quai Saint-Antoine, an emblematic place in Lyon which played a crucial role in the history of puppet theatre in the 19th century.

Look carefully at the door on the first intermediate landing, surmounted by the word "Guignol". This is where one of the first and most important permanent puppet theatres in Lyon in the 19th century was located. For seventy-eight years, between 1888 and 1966, this place was the address of Guignol, thus becoming an emblematic place in the city.

This theatre, originally called Guignol du Gymnase then Guignol Mourguet, was traditionally nicknamed "Guignol du Quai". This superb gate is located within the old Antonins chapel, as clearly illustrated in the View of Lyon by Simon Maupin. Over the years, it has undergone various transformations and uses. Its fascinating history is traced in the Historical Dictionary of Lyon.

Housed in the hall designed in 1842 by the architect Jean-Charles Raphaël Flacheron, this space has undergone several transformations over the years. First used by the Cercle musical as a concert hall where renowned artists such as Franz Liszt and Clara Schumann performed, it became in 1872 a small Italian-style theatre, the Théâtre du Gymnase, where dramas, comedies and vaudevilles were performed.

It was later transformed into the Guignol du Gymnase theatre, marking the beginning of a new era for this theatrical institution. Under the direction of Pierre Neichthauser and his wife Eléonore Josserand, great-granddaughter of Laurent Mourguet, the theatre quickly acquired a national and international reputation, becoming a must-see venue in Lyon, familiarly called the "Guignol du Quai".

During its golden age, this theater welcomed a diverse audience, from ministers to stars, attesting to its cultural and social importance in Lyon life. Personalities such as Justin Godart, Edouard Herriot, and Joséphine Baker have trodden its boards, thus contributing to enriching its history.

In 1966, the theatre moved to Vieux Lyon, on the Place de la Trinité, 25 metres behind the Vieux Lyon metro station, at the bottom of the montée du Gourguillon, where it is still in operation. Its legacy has endured through the years, recalling the vitality and cultural richness of Lyon.