The Cours Charlemagne is a large central street located in the Perrache quarter, in the 2nd arrondissement of Lyon.

[3] The Cours Charlemagne begins at the Place des Archives, just at the south of the vaults of the interchange of Perrache.

The layout of the street was decided in 1806 (and published in 1826) to establish an imperial palace at the junction and link it to the Place Bellecour by a wide avenue.

The street was eventually built between 1827 and 1832[4] and received its current name after the deliberation of the municipal council on 16 July 1830, later confirmed on 16 May 1837.

On 8 July 1982, the gateway of Perrache station and the escalator connecting it to the Cours Charlemagne were inaugurated.