Lyon has started a €3.15 million renovation of the Villa Gillet, the house devoted to contemporary writing in the Parc de la Cerisaie. Works began in spring 2026 and delivery is planned for the end of 2027. The project aims to improve the building’s energy performance, make it more accessible and adapt its spaces to new cultural uses.
What the works include
The programme is organised in several parts:
- thermal improvement of the building, especially on the top level;
- conversion of the attic (second floor) into offices and writers’ residences reached by lift;
- renewal of the electrical installations and accessibility of the first-floor spaces;
- a kitchen and bar area on the ground floor, linked to the salons;
- modernisation of the basement theatre with retractable seating, and new podcast studios.
Additional works will cover accessibility, notably of the toilets, repairs to the terraces and the security of the building.
Why the city is doing it
The city says the renovation will strengthen the Villa Gillet as a place able to welcome a wider audience and offer new formats for meetings. The project aims in particular to develop residencies for authors and translators, linked to the UNESCO Creative Cities network in the field of literature. The future facility is meant to serve as a place of hospitality for authors and as a meeting platform for all actors in the book sector.
Since 2023 the building has hosted several literary organisations: the Villa Gillet association, ARALL (Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes livre et lecture) and Quais du Polar. The renovation is expected to give them renewed conditions for hosting visitors and for work.
Money and timetable
After the regional subsidy was stopped, as announced in 2022, the City of Lyon raised its own subsidy by 37.5% from 2023, an annual equivalent of €400k.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Total cost of the renovation | €3.15 million |
| Start of works | Spring 2026 |
| Delivery | End of 2027 |
| City subsidy increase (from 2023) | 37.5%, about €400k a year |