Croix-Rousse & Caluire Greenway
Cycling RouteAn elevated, car-free ride traces an abandoned nineteenth-century railway line directly out of the historic silk-weavers' district. You pedal across the flat, bustling plateau of the Croix-Rousse before slipping into a completely shaded, tree-lined corridor that cuts through the northern suburbs. The tarmac is perfectly smooth and heavily used by locals for evening rides. It feels like riding through a green tunnel suspended entirely above the traffic of the city below. The route eventually opens up near old military forts, offering sudden, high-altitude glimpses of the Rhône valley.
SURFACE BREAKDOWN
ELEVATION PROFILE
WHY WE LOVE THIS ROUTE
It provides a completely traffic-free, elevated perspective of the northern districts, transforming an obsolete piece of industrial rail infrastructure into a lush, effortless cycling corridor.
RIDER'S NOTEBOOK
- • The path is shared with pedestrians and rollerbladers, so keep a moderate pace, especially on weekends.
- • There are frequent access ramps if you want to drop down into the suburban streets to find a bakery.
- 1WAYPOINT
Montessuy Fort
FORT DE MONTESSUYAn overgrown nineteenth-century military fort sits near the paved path's boundary. The grassy banks surrounding the heavy stone walls provide a quiet, elevated place to rest off the saddle.
FULL PLACE DETAILS
OVERVIEW & STATS
- Established
- In 1831, making it 195 years old
to next stop - 2WAYPOINT
Caluire Greenway
VOIE VERTE DE CALUIREA straight, continuous green corridor flanked by high trees replaces the old railway tracks. Old stone railway bridges cross over the streets below, keeping cyclists entirely separated from cars.
to next stop - 3WAYPOINT
Big Pebble
LE GROS CAILLOUA massive, grey glacial boulder sits prominently on the edge of the plateau, serving as the symbolic meeting point for the neighbourhood. The open plaza surrounding it offers sweeping views over the eastern plains.
to next stop - 4HIGHLIGHT
Croix-Rousse Square
PLACE DE LA CROIX-ROUSSEA vibrant, flat square acts as the gateway to the greenway. Bicycles weave slowly through locals carrying market produce, enjoying the lively village atmosphere of the plateau.
FULL PLACE DETAILS
OVERVIEW & STATS
- Elevation
- 254 m
Other Cycling Routes
Check out other routes in Lyon
ViaRhôna Urban Stretch
The European cycling route cuts a clean line directly through the city along the eastern bank of the Rhône. You drop down to the water level, leaving the noise of cars and trams entirely behind. The path glides past long stretches of wooden decking where university students sit with their legs dangling over the water. Massive stone bridges cross overhead, creating sudden, cool shadows on sunny days. The smooth surface makes for completely effortless pedalling from one end of the city to the other.
view route
Tête d'Or Loop
Wide, paved avenues circle a massive boating lake and cut through dense patches of ancient trees. You ride past botanical greenhouses and open plains where African animals graze behind subtle barriers. The air cools noticeably as you enter the shade of the forest sections. Pacing here is slow, dictated by families walking dogs and children learning to ride. It feels entirely removed from the concrete blocks of the business district located just a few streets away.
view route
Miribel-Jonage Escape
Leaving the eastern suburbs behind, the path opens up into a massive, 2,200-hectare nature reserve. You ride along wide dirt trails alongside unmanicured canals and dense thickets of trees. The landscape feels distinctly rural, populated by herons and the occasional beaver rather than pedestrians. Small, hidden beaches appear suddenly along the edges of the central lake. The flat terrain allows for long, uninterrupted stretches of pedalling in complete silence.
view route
Alternative Ways to Tour the City
Switch your pace. Discover curated routes by bike, foot, or self-guided exploration.
Renaissance Vieux Lyon Walk
Tall, pastel-coloured facades lean slightly over narrow cobblestone streets, blocking out the modern world. You press heavy iron buttons to unlock wooden doors, revealing hidden courtyards with spiralling stone staircases. The smell of frying onions and roasted pork wafts out from the tiny kitchens of traditional bistros. Tourist crowds gather around the most famous monuments, but taking a sudden turn down a dark passageway instantly restores the quiet. You emerge back onto the street several blocks away, having passed entirely beneath the residential blocks.
Birth of Cinema
Venture into the eastern Monplaisir district to stand exactly where the moving image was born. This route circles the remnants of the massive Lumière factory and the family's opulent Art Nouveau villa. You walk the exact pavement featured in the first film ever screened to a paying public. It is a pilgrimage for cinephiles, showing how a local industrialist family accidentally changed global culture.