Parilly Park

The story of Parc de Parilly begins with an ambitious civic dream in 1926, when Édouard Herriot, then the influential mayor of Lyon, championed the creation of a vast green expanse to the city's east. He envisioned a space that would not only beautify the urban landscape but also actively contribute to the health and well-being of its citizens. However, this grand proposal faced immediate local resistance; the mayor of Bron, one of the communes involved, argued that housing for the burgeoning working-class population was a far more pressing need than a monumental park. Despite the initial setbacks, the vision persisted. By 1937, the departmental council reignited the project, launching a design competition for an even more expansive park. The winning proposal, crafted by Pierre Bellemain, promised to transform the area into what was then described as "the most beautiful park in France," complete with innovative features like an ice rink, a large recreational lake, and a flowing canal. Yet, fate intervened dramatically with the outbreak of the Second World War, abruptly halting these ambitious plans and leaving the dream largely unrealised. Decades later, the spirit of the original vision found new life, albeit in a modified form. By 1965, a significant addition to the park was completed: the Hippodrome de Parilly, establishing the site as a key sporting venue. Over time, the park evolved, embracing its role as a major sports and leisure hub for the metropolitan area. In 2015, a significant administrative shift occurred, with the park's management formally transitioning from the Rhône department to the Métropole de Lyon. Today, Parc de Parilly stands as a testament to enduring civic aspirations, a dynamic landscape that balances natural beauty with extensive facilities for sport and community engagement, even if it never quite fulfilled the grand aquatic and winter sports elements of its earliest, most utopian plans.