They link Tête d’Or Park to Gerland Park through a succession of natural, mineral and urban developments…
Limited to alternative modes of transport, they provide a safe and landscaped environment for bicycles, skateboards, Segways and pedestrians, and are punctuated by play areas for kids, a skate park, tiered seating for those who want to laze around in the sun, as well as a grass-covered open-air theatre…
All these areas have been readily adopted by the inhabitants of the city who come here to relax as part of everyday life.
In the evening, people flock to the banks of the Berges du Rhône to enjoy a drink on the terraces of cafés in the summer, or to party on the river barges.
Over a distance of 5 km and an area of 10 ha:
- from Morand Bridge to Lafayette Bridge: island gardens have been created and planted with hardy gramineous plants and clumps of trees. There are also skateboard and rollerblade facilities, playgrounds and a slide.
- from Lafayette Bridge to Wilson Bridge: a 6,000 m² long meadow, and activity boats with terraces.
- from Wilson Bridge to La Guillotière Bridge: terraces in the La Guillotière area, panoramic view of the river and city. A free-flowing branch of the river runs at the foot of the terraces. Petanque pitches, skatebowls and a multi-sports field.
- from La Guillotière Bridge to Université Bridge: a nautical landing stage and the Tony Bertrand nautical centre.
- from Université Bridge to Galliéni Bridge: Port de l’Université, where the cruise boats dock. Areas for picnics, volleyball, petanque, and rollerblading.
Landscaping: In Situ, Architects: Jourda, Light designers: Coup d'Eclats.
Portraits of women along the river:
from Marlene Dietrich to Ellen MacArthur, including the Greek Melina Mercouri and the Swedish Anna Lindh, twelve European women are now part of Lyon's everyday landscape. Biographical plaques along the embankments detail their lives and works.
Along the Berges du Rhône as in the city, dog owners are required to keep their animals on a lead. To counteract this restriction, 4 areas where dogs can roam free and 8 dog toilet areas have been created on the upper embankment.
The city of Lyon has been granted 2 honorary awards for its work aimed at improving "the quality of human-centric development" by the German European Garden Network Heritage foundation, and the Academy of Urbanism in London.