In the heart of Lyon, a city renowned for its vibrant culture and rich history, lies a hidden sanctuary that whispers tales of a darker past. The Brotteaux Crypt, tucked away beneath the Sainte-Croix chapel in the 6th arrondissement, is a place of profound memory, dedicated to the 2,000 victims of the brutal repression that followed the siege of Lyon in 1793. These were not just nobles or clergy, but ordinary men, women, and children whose lives were abruptly ended by the Revolutionary Terror.
A Descent into History: The Crypt’s Eerie Embrace
Stepping down into the crypt is an experience that transcends mere historical observation. The cool, subterranean air immediately evokes a sense of solemnity, a stark contrast to the lively city above. Here, beneath vaulted brick ceilings, Lyon guards one of the most somber chapters of its history. This is the final resting place for many who suffered during the Revolutionary Terror, their memory refusing to fade even after more than two centuries.
Lyon’s Rebellion and Paris’s Vengeance
In 1793, as the French Revolution raged, Lyon dared to defy the central authority. The city, known as the ‘Capital of the Gauls,’ demanded freedom of belief and opposed the political radicalization and the Reign of Terror led by Robespierre. But Paris, the ‘rebel’ capital, would tolerate no insubordination. The Convention dispatched the Army of the Alps to quell the uprising, initiating a two-month siege. Lyon’s volunteers were crushed, and on October 12, the city was subjected to a terrible vengeance. Trials followed swiftly, and blood flowed freely in the city’s squares.
Those who had demonstrated, assisted, or even merely sympathized with the insurgents were imprisoned, judged, and condemned to death. It is estimated that in just a few months, between October 1793 and April 1794, over two thousand individuals were executed, most by guillotine, others by firing squad.
The Brotteaux Firing Squads: A Grim Innovation
The guillotine, in its chilling efficiency, proved insufficient to handle the scale of the carnage. This led to the grim innovation of the ‘Brotteaux firing squads,’ where condemned individuals were lined up and executed en masse. Their bodies were hastily thrown into mass graves. Yet, the wheel of history turned, and Robespierre himself met the same fate in Paris in July 1794. In a tragic irony, the last two executed in Lyon were Jean Ripet, the executioner, and his assistant.
Successive Memorials: Remembering the Lost
The first monument at Brotteaux was erected in 1795 but was soon destroyed by fire. A new pyramidal structure, possibly influenced by Napoleon’s Egyptian campaign, was built in 1819. Images of this pyramid can still be found on early 20th-century postcards, often with the neo-Byzantine Sainte-Croix chapel, with its dome, colored vaults, and mosaics, in the background. The current Sainte-Croix chapel, which houses the crypt, was completed in 1906, and the 1819 pyramid was demolished during urban redevelopment.
Beyond the crypt, other memorials to the Lyonnaise Terror dot the city, including commemorative plaques and individual graves in cemeteries like Loyasse and La Guillotière. The history is also preserved in popular songs of the era, such as ‘Fantassins du Lyonnais’ and ‘La Ligue noire,’ hymns of resistance and mourning.
Marble, Bones, and Names: The Human Cost
Inside the crypt, an almost unsettling silence reigns. Visitors are confronted with an accumulation of bones, preserved for over two centuries with lime, forming a macabre mosaic. These remains were exhumed from mass graves by victims’ families in the early 19th century. Yet, the true emotional weight comes from the long list of names engraved on marble plaques in the chapel above. Each inscription, often accompanied by a profession or status, serves as a poignant reminder that these were ordinary people – artisans, merchants, refractory priests, nobles – swept away by the revolutionary storm.
Ordinary Victims, Extraordinary Stories
The list reveals a cross-section of society: artisans, nobles, clergy, military personnel, and lawyers. Children were not spared. Brother François, from the Missionary Family of Notre-Dame, who guards the site, recounts the story of Widow Ponson, a popular figure in Lyon during the Revolution, now among the 80 individuals for whom a beatification process has been initiated by the Catholic Church.
Lyon 93: Keeping the Memory Alive
Since 1982, the ‘Lyon 93’ association has tirelessly worked to preserve the memory of the victims of the Lyonnaise Terror. This association brings together descendants of the victims, who continue to search through municipal, departmental, diocesan, and national archives for new names. Their research is published in books, meticulously tracing the genealogies of the disappeared. Today, nearly 400 individuals recognize these victims as their direct or collateral ancestors, often contributing family documents, notebooks, and anecdotes to enrich the historical record.
Sometimes, unexpected connections emerge. Olivier du Jonchay, the current president of Lyon 93, discovered an ancestor executed during the Terror while perusing one of the association’s published volumes. Lyon 93 also organizes commemorations and educates young people about the dramatic events of the Lyonnaise Revolution, not with a spirit of revenge, but for the sake of history.
A Call for Beatification and Ongoing Remembrance
In 2024, the Lyonnaise Catholic Church officially opened the cause for the beatification of 80 martyrs, both religious and lay. An ecclesiastical tribunal will now determine whether they died for their faith, a process based on historical accounts, and another long journey to keep their memory alive.
To visit the Brotteaux Crypt in Lyon, appointments must be made by phone with the Missionary Family of Notre-Dame, who manage the site. Visiting hours are from 10 am to 12 pm and from 2 pm to 5:30 pm, except Wednesdays and Sundays. It is recommended to leave a message if there is no answer to ensure a callback.
Source: https://france3-regions.franceinfo.fr/auvergne-rhone-alpes/rhone/lyon/la-crypte-des-brotteaux-abrite-en-toute-discretion-un-des-evenements-les-plus-sombres-de-l-histoire-de-lyon-3373531.html
