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River Sâone banks

A 15-kilometre landscaped expanse between Lyon and the Saône Valley

Contemporary

Last updated date : 27/02/2024

Make the most of the peace and quiet of the banks of the Saône thanks to the pedestrian promenade, and its alternating urban and pastoral atmospheres: a 15-km pedestrian promenade along the river on the left bank, between the Confluence area and Ile Barbe, and between Fontaines-sur-Saône and Rochetaillée-sur-Saône.

The works of several contemporary artists have been installed along the river. This project highlights and preserves the city's ecological heritage, the buildings built along the Saône, and related activities such as rowing, fishing and walking.

Les Rives de Saône © Delphine Castel

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An original project

The Weight of Oneself, Michael Elmgreen & Ingar Dragset - Rives de Saône

This walkway is punctuated by some twenty works of art by associated artists, which constitute the River Movie project. Developed in consultation with the designers from the very beginning of the project, these works of art are perfectly in keeping with the city's history and landscapes, and first and foremost, they are places people can stop to admire the Saône.
The guiding artist Tadashi Kawamata devised 6 of the works of art that make up this straight route, creating raw wood cabins and belvederes. 

Different landscapes can be admired along the way 

This promenade in Lyon is a great way to see the city, and in particular the façades of houses in Vieux-Lyon from the peaceful setting of the banks. It then follows the lower part with Quai Gillet, than a more pastoral route with lots of plants, prior to crossing Caluire-et-Cuire which takes one close to the mysterious Île Barbe, where the banks widen all the way to Fontaine-sur-Saône then Rochetaillée-sur-Saône, with its wide beaches where casual open-air restaurants are held. 

The other developments along the banks of the Saône 

The Confluence sequence (included in stage 1 of the Rives de Saône master plan) is already underway. Furthermore, the 2nd stage of the Rives de Saône plan goes on with the project devoted to the terraces on the Presqu’île: this has consisted in the construction of a new underground car park beneath Quai Saint-Antoine, to replace the existing Saint-Antoine car park. Once demolished, this older car park has free a huge 35-metre-wide strip of land which is beeing turned into a river-garden space along the low-lying quays, covering some 8500 m², designed to be a flood zone during high-water periods.
A 400-metre walking path, planted with 35 different species, including 130 trees, 8600 shrubs and 11,000 perennials.
On the banks, a cycling path has been created and traffic has been reduced, while the squares Place Saint-Nizier and Place d'Albon have been redeveloped to complement the surrounding architecture and make it easier to get from the Presqu’île to the banks of the Saône.
Scheduled for completion in 2024.

The 12 River Movie artists

This River Movie, imagined by Jérôme Sans, artistic director, is a project like no other in Europe, with 23 works by 12 international artists, offering pleasant surprises for walkers to contemplate and explore.

  • Tadashi Kawamata, 
  • Sabina Lang et Daniel Baumann, 
  • Didier Fiuza Faustino, 
  • Le Gentil Garçon, 
  • Jean-Michel Othoniel,
  • Pascale-Marthine Tayou, 
  • Erik Samakh; 
  • Meschach Gaba, 
  • Pablo Reinoso,
  • Michael Elmgreen et Ingmar Dragset