ViaRhôna Urban Stretch
Cycling RouteThe 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.
SURFACE BREAKDOWN
ELEVATION PROFILE
WHY WE LOVE THIS ROUTE
This route showcases the city's most successful urban renewal project, completely separating cyclists from vehicle traffic while offering unbroken views of the historic skyline. It proves that a dense metropolis can successfully reclaim its waterfront for recreation.
RIDER'S NOTEBOOK
- • Keep an eye out for the swans that sometimes wander up onto the path near the northern end.
- • The path gets extremely crowded with pedestrians and rollerbladers on sunny weekend afternoons; ring your bell early.
- 1WAYPOINT
Raymond Barre Bridge
PONT RAYMOND BARREThis modern, curving bridge is reserved exclusively for trams, pedestrians, and cyclists. It provides a smooth crossing over the water toward the futuristic buildings of the southern district.
to next stop - 2WAYPOINT
Rhône Pool Complex
CENTRE NAUTIQUE TONY BERTRANDA striking mid-century modern swimming complex sits directly on the riverbank. Swimmers cut through the outdoor lanes just metres away from the cycling track.
FULL PLACE DETAILS
OVERVIEW & STATS
- Established
- In 1965, making it 61 years old
ARCHITECTURE & HERITAGE
- Heritage Status
- Remarkable Contemporary Architecture
- Architects
- Alexandre Audouze-tabourin
WEB & AMENITIES
FacilitiesBassin Ludique De Natationto next stop - 3WAYPOINT
Lafayette Bridge
PONT LAFAYETTEA heavy stone and metal structure arcs over the river, casting wide shadows. The architectural details underneath the arches are clearly visible from the waterside path.
FULL PLACE DETAILS
OVERVIEW & STATS
- Established
- In 1890, making it 136 years old
to next stop - 4PARK & NATURE
Tête d'Or Park Gates
PORTES DU PARC DE LA TÊTE D'ORMassive wrought-iron gates mark the entrance to a sprawling expanse of trees and greenhouses. Cyclists frequently pause here to adjust their gear before joining the river path.
FULL PLACE DETAILS
OVERVIEW & STATS
- Established
- In 1857, making it 169 years old
ARCHITECTURE & HERITAGE
- Heritage Status
- Monument Historique Inscrit
WEB & AMENITIES
Other Cycling Routes
Check out other routes in Lyon
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
Croix-Rousse & Caluire Greenway
An 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.
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.