Date of tip: May 2005
Source: Benn Williams, bwilli7@uic.edu
Archive: Archives Départementales du Rhône
Locations:
Archives Départementales du Rhône
(section moderne)
57, rue Servient
69003 Lyon
tél : (33) (0)4 72 61 10 73
fax : (33) (0)4 78 95 02 19
courriel : archmod@rhone.fr
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Archives Départementales du Rhône
(section ancienne)
2, chemin de Montauban
69005 Lyon
tél : (33) (0)4 78 28 05 73
fax : (33) (0)4 72 00 28 95
courriel : archanc@rhone.fr
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How to get there:
By train: Lyon is served by fast trains (TGV) at three Lyon train stations: St-Exupéry (airport), Perrache, and Part-Dieux. Perrache is better for the section ancienne and Part-Dieux is closest to the section moderne. A shuttle bus links the airport and the city.
For the section ancienne from Gare Perrache:
Take bus number 1 which arrives at the station St Paul, or else bus 91. Otherwise, you can take the metro to the station St Jean in the 5th arrondissement and cross the old quartier of St Jean.
For the section moderne from Gare Part-Dieu:
By metro: Take the métro B, in the direction of Stade de Gerland, to the stop Place Guichard. Walk one block north to rue Servient (in the middle of which runs the tramway.)
By tramway: Take Tramway ligne 1, stop "Moncey-mairie du 3e arrondissement", very close to the archives.
By bus: Ligne 28 Vieux Lyon-Cathédral St Jean arrêt Saxe-Préfecture (walk east three minutes). Otherwise, bus 99 stops at rue Servient near the archives.
Language: French.
Getting started: The Archives départementales du Rhône do not have a website. Some information is available at: http://www.rhone.fr/noheto/ebn.ebn?pid=12&pthm=4&prub=122&pnfo=274
For a list of finding aids and inventories available for purchase, see http://www.archivesdefrance.culture.gouv.fr/fr/publications/daf69.htm
Upon arrival, first-time users must fill out a one-page form and furnish one piece of identification (passport, driver’s license) in order to receive a free one-year user’s card.
Opening Hours: Monday – Friday 9-5 daily (with no documents delivered 12-2), and Saturday 9-12 (October – June except during vacation periods and documents must be reserved in advance for Saturday consultation). Annual closure: first two weeks of August. Hours appear to be the same for both sections. Expect to be pushed out the door punctually at closing time.
General working conditions: At the section moderne, one room is devoted solely to microfilm and microfiche readers and is the haven for genealogists. The document reading room has approximately thirty tight work stations with an insufficient number of electrical outlets (despite recent remodeling). There are also a few PCs for intranet research with printing capabilities. While most of the archives’ library collection is closed-stacks, there are a number of references works in libre accès. Exact conditions unknown for the section ancienne.
No internet access. Select materials are available on the intranet in the main reading room.
There is a strict limit on the number of boxes/microfilms that can be consulted per day (10 per day for the section ancienne.) Up to three boxes can be put on reserve for up to seven days.
As for food/dining facilities: You must take all provisions with you to the section ancienne as there are no services within easy walking distance. Eating is no longer allowed in the common area of the recently remodeled section moderne; in fact, even the seating was removed. Fortunately, a few affordable restaurants, bakeries, a traiteur, and a small grocery store can be found across the street and within a two-block radius of place Guichard. There is also a coffee vending machine on the premises.
Policy on technology: In general, there are no restrictions on the use of laptop computers, digital cameras, and scanners although specific private collections and classified public archives may prohibit the reproduction of documents. Bring your own power strip!
Photocopy policy: One photocopier is available for patrons’ use at the section moderne. Copies cost 0.20€, require that exact coin, and change is not available--not even at the local branch of the Banque de France! Go digital.
Particularities: The section ancienne possesses public documents prior to 1800 (except the old parish registers), notarial archives, private papers, and collections of maps. Post-1800 public documents (except notarial archives), parish registers, press collections, and civil records.
To make the most of your stay, contact the relevant archive beforehand. Horror stories abound of researchers arriving at the section ancienne only to be told that a malfunctioning component of the document retrieval system had effectively made inaccessible several entire série of documents. Fermetures exceptionnelles seem more frequent at the section moderne than at any other archive.
When applicable, bring copies of dérogation authorisations to avoid delays and hassles.
Coin-operated lockers are available and mandatory – bring a one euro coin.
How to apply for classified files: Restrictions generally imposed by the donor (of private collections) and by the law of 1979 governing access to public documents. A dérogation filed with the archive can take two to twelve months.
Contact name in case of questions regarding classified files:
Archives Départementales du Rhône (section moderne) : archmod@rhone.fr
Archives Départementales du Rhône (section ancienne) : archanc@rhone.fr
Places to Stay: The youth hostel in Vieux Lyon provides the least inexpensive accommodations, has a great view of the city, has two internet access points, and a bar.
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