Lyon. A building with the appearance of an Italian palace, the Condition des soies played an essential role

Every Sunday, Le Progrès delves into the history of Lyon, both large and small. The history of its people and its heritage. This week, the history of the Condition des soies (The Silk Condition). This building on Rue Saint-Polycarpe, reminiscent of an Italian palace, was at the center of Lyon's textile industry for over a century. Now a municipal library, it was once used for drying silk.

The architect was undoubtedly inspired by the Italian origin of the condition of the silk when drawing up his plans. Photo Bouvant Come

The idea of creating an establishment in Lyon to restore silk to its natural state came from Rast de Maupas (or Rast-Maupas). The merchant was inspired by the public conditions in Turin during a trip to Italy. The water content of silk sets sellers and buyers apart. Silk can absorb 8 to 15% of its weight in water without affecting its feel or appearance. It contains 11% water in its normal state of humidity. The customer feared paying a weight in water for the price of silk, while the seller feared selling a higher proportion of silk than normal.

Six deniers per pound of silk

Rast de Maupas created the first condition for Lyon silks in 1779. "The tariff will be six deniers per pound of silk. The invoice will be paid equally by the seller and...

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