Living in St-Jean - Charmilles: the beating, post-industrial neighbourhood

On the right bank of the Rhône, the Charmilles district used to be the main industrial area in Geneva. A district for the working-class, it was also home to the famous Charmilles stadium where Servette FC played in front of thousands of football fans throughout the 20th century.

Since the early 2000s, the Charmilles area has deeply transformed. Industrial activities have moved out and the stadium was brought down. The neighbourhood has somehow settled down. It’s now a family-friendly area with a pleasant balance of urban and green spaces.

On the South of the railroad lies the St-Jean district, which stretches to the Rhone. In some streets of the area, you’ll feel you’re in a village. There’s quite a dynamic commercial life with countless stores, art galleries, restaurants and bars. And also the Planete Charmilles shopping centre. The whole neighbourhood is very well connected to the airport and railway station.

Lyon 77 is a modern-looking tower. An ambitious, 14-storey building overlooking the Place des Charmilles. It stands at the corner of rue de Lyon and avenue d’Aïre. A witness of the transformation of the Charmilles neighbourhood, this project by Pilet & Renaud is a tall, versatile building with administrative and housing spaces. The first floor is planned for stores and restaurants.

What the Genevans call "la Maison Ronde" is actually a group of 5 buildings with the shape of a hemicycle. This original work of art by Maurice Braillard is both an architectural project and an urban concept: the Maison Ronde was built at the end of the 1920s as housing for the working class. The inner courtyard is designed as a small village, with its workshops, retailers and children's playgrounds... that mothers were able to watch from their kitchen! The Maison Ronde was registered as a historical monument in 1995.

The Parc des Franchises is home to an extraordinary biotope with multiple tree and plant species. The park also offers outdoor training facilities and a open air cinema festival every summer.