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Ten parks and gardens for a green break in Lyon
Parks and gardens in Lyon: ten verdant spaces around the city
Close to nature
Last updated date : 09/04/2024
Whether you are looking for a green space to go for a walk, do some sport, tire out the children, or read a book in a calm setting, our little guide to Lyon’s parks and gardens has the perfect spot for you.
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Parks and gardens in Lyon for a stroll
Want to hear the sound of the leaves rustling in the wind and birdsong as you walk along pleasant green paths? Here are three parks where you can enjoy a stroll without having to leave Lyon.
Tête d'Or Park
In the heart of the city, in the 6th district, Tête d'Or Park really does have something for everyone: flower enthusiasts will be delighted by the rose garden, with its 16,000 rosebushes, and can get happily lost in the botanical garden’s magnificent glasshouses; dog walkers can let their dogs romp next to the Velodrome; while children can have fun watching the ducks waddling around, with their little ones in tow, or the giraffes at the zoological park...
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Parc des Hauteurs
For a stroll with a magnificent view, head to the Parc des Hauteurs. If you aren’t afraid of a climb, you can begin your journey at the bottom of Fourvière Hill, on Place Saint-Jean; otherwise, the funicular provides an easier way to reach the top. This walk will take you from Fourvière to Loyasse cemetery, via the ‘Quatre Vents’ footbridge, with its breathtaking panoramic view of the River Saône and Croix-Rousse Hill, the ‘Jardin du Rosaire’, with its botanical collections of heritage roses and hydrangeas, and the ‘Chemin du Viaduc’, a former railway that was used to transport hearses from Saint-Paul funicular to the cemetery...
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Parc de la Feyssine
Offering a slice of nature in the city, Parc de la Feyssine is located between La Doua campus and the banks of the Rhône. This former water catchment area, which was left abandoned for several decades, was transformed into a natural urban park at the end of the 1990s, welcoming exceptional animal and plant biodiversity.
Walking and cycle paths have been provided to allow visitors to explore this calm park that offers a change of scenery.
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Parks in Lyon that children will love
A word of caution: you may have a job convincing your children to leave these parks!
Parc Blandan
Vous pourrez pique-niquer en famille dans la partie haute du parc, jouer au ballon ou vous rouler dans l’herbe dans la grande prairie mais la partie du parc qui passionnera vos enfants de 3 à 12 ans, ce sera la Vague des remparts. Une aire de jeu de 1000 m2 avec installations ludiques et super toboggans.
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Le Parc du Vallon
Located in Lyon’s 9th district, this park remains little known. Parc du Vallon offers 11 hectares of meadows and undergrowth, crossed by a small stream known as the ‘Ruisseau des Gorges’. You can make your way along the many paths, on a scooter or bike, to one of the two play areas located at each end of the park, including an 850 m² adventure space that your children can explore to their heart’s content!
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Parks in Lyon for sports
Are you itching for some exercise? Get your trainers and water bottle, and make your way to one of these beautiful parks in Lyon.
Parc de Gerland
In Lyon’s 7th district, opposite the Musée des Confluences, you will find Parc de Gerland, with its 18 hectares and many sports facilities.
If you want to go on a bike ride, you can cycle all the way from Parc de Gerland to Tête d'Or Park via the banks of the Rhône, and (if you have any energy left!) you can continue along the Rhône all the way to Parc Miribel-Jonage.
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Parc de Parilly
Straddling Bron and Vénissieux, Parc de Parilly stretches out over 178 hectares. Runners will enjoy this huge space, including a large wooded area with up-and-down terrain that offers a further challenge! The ‘Voie Verte’ (green path) is more than 5 km long and perfect for cycling and roller-blading. You will also find an athletics stadium, football and rugby pitches, basketball, handball and volleyball courts, and a baseball field, as well as facilities for bodybuilding.
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Parks and gardens to read a book
With a book under your arm, all you need is a bench, some greenery, and a quiet, peaceful setting. Happily, there is no shortage of such spots in Lyon.
Jardin des curiosités
Located in the Saint-Just district on Fourvière hill, at the end of Place Abbé Larue, the Jardin des Curiosités is one of the few gardens that remain somewhat hidden in the heart of the city. Six chair-sculptures with poetic engravings (the work of artist Michel Goulet of Quebec) are dotted around this timeless space. What’s more, you can take in the stunning view over Lyon (and beyond) to rest your eyes for a few moments between chapters.
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The garden of Musée des Beaux-Arts
Who would have thought that hidden behind the doors of the Musée des Beaux-Arts (Museum of Fine Arts), on one of Lyon’s busiest squares – Place des Terreaux – right in the city centre, you can find a calm, peaceful garden? Located in the cloister of a former seventeenth-century abbey, the Jardin du Musée des Beaux-Arts is the perfect spot to read a book, beneath the lime trees and majestic sculptures.
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Parc de la Cerisaie
Located in Lyon’s Croix-Rousse district, Parc de la Cerisaie is named after a former cherry orchard. While you will no longer find any cerises (cherries) here, you will find many contemporary artworks, as well as the ‘Villa Gillet’, named after its previous owners, which is now home to cultural institutions. Seat yourself comfortably in the shade of a tree, open your book and enjoy the calm.
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