  In the context of high contrast imaging, we propose to evaluate the
performance of the Apodized Pupil Lyot Coronagraph (APLC) working without Lyot
Stop, namely Stop-less Lyot Coronagraph (SLLC). This coronagraph is a
combination of an entrance pupil apodizer and an opaque mask in the following
focal plane. However, contrary to APLC, SLLC is amputated by the traditional
pupil stop. Our goal is to stress the interest of using this coronagraphic
solution, in particular for instruments for which the introduction of a stellar
coronagraph with Lyot stop is made impossible. We estimate the intensity
attenuation achieved with SLLC and carry out our study with a focus on the case
of Gran Telescopio Canarias (GTC). In a first step, numerical simulations are
made assuming the absence of any aberration, thereafter SLLC performance is
evaluated considering AO corrected wavefronts in our approach for ground-based
instruments. SLLC performance proves to be equivalent to that obtained with
APLC in presence of AO compensated atmospheric turbulence images, which Strehl
ratio is S=0.552 at the wavelength lambda=1.57 mu m. This coronagraph allows to
remove the peak intensity of a star image and therefore, avoid detector
saturation. Moreover, it helps increasing the image dynamic range. A mean
contrast gain in stellar magnitudes Delta m=0.23 is obtained with SLLC whereas
APLC reaches a value Delta m=0.38.
