During the Second World war, LYON was one of the centers of the intellectual and military resistance to the occupants and a great number of resistants were arrested and interned in the FORT MONTLUC.

After November 11, 1942, date of the invasion of the southern zone, the Germans will be particularly active in this area and will control the fort.

In 1943, it sheltered 90 prisoners and one will count of them 900 in May 1944 and 1000 in July. June 12, 1944, 23 resistants was extirpated FORT MONTLUC and was carried out to the machine-gun close to NEUVILLE-SUR-SAONE. August 20, 1944, 110 resistants will be embarked in a bus and a police wagon which will lead them at the height unused ST-GENIS-LAVAL where they will be cut down with the machine-gun and rifle. Jean MILL and his companions were also interned there after their arrest by BARBIE on June 11, 1943.