Our best spots to run in Lyon

Parc de la Tête d'Or

Located by the banks of the Rhône in Lyon's 6th district, the Parc de la Tête d'Or is the favourite spot for local runners. Do any of them not know their lap time for the park? Lyon's green lung has a varied environment (including a lake, zoo, greenhouses and rose garden) and a relatively flat 3.8 km circuit, making it ideal for running. It is very busy on weekends and many runners go with colleagues during their lunch break. A little tip: everybody runs in an anticlockwise direction!

Veteran sportspeople can continue their run to Parc de la Feyssine, which is slightly wilder and less frequented than its neighbour. Jogging along its 4 km route feels like a run in the woods.

Berges du Rhône

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©Brice Robert

Redeveloped in 2007, the banks of the Rhône have become a central part of life in Lyon. The 7 km stretch links up Parc de la Tête d'Or and Parc de Garland, offering a clear view of Lyon's built heritage (including the Opera House, the Croix-Rousse district and the Grand Hôtel-Dieu), away from the traffic.

For early risers and late sleepers, the route is lit by night. At the end of your run (and only at the end, otherwise it would be giving up), you can head to one of the many riverboat bars for refreshments.

Rives de Saône

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©Brice Robert

From Île Barbe to the Confluence, the pedestrian path along the banks of the Saône is 11 km long. The route, which has been laid out for runners, becomes increasingly wild along the stretch between Vieux-Lyon (Old Lyon) and Île Barbe. Along the way, take the opportunity to admire Saint-Jean Cathedral, Fourvière Hill, the Basilica and Lyon’s characterful architecture. From Maréchal Koenig Bridge, the trail becomes bucolic and shaded until it reaches Île Barbe.

From Kitchener Marchand Bridge until the confluence of the rivers Rhône and Saône, make your way past the innovative, modern buildings until you reach the Musée des Confluences at the tip to admire the breathtaking panoramic view.

The hills of Fourvière and Croix-Rousse

Rising 120 and 90 m high respectively, the hills of Fourvière and Croix-Rousse look out over Lyon and are ideal for urban trails. The choice is yours: you can do intensive cardio training, in particular on the slopes of Montée Nicolas de Lange, Montée de la Chana, Montée de la Sarra and Montée de l’Esplanade, or explore the hills with their history-filled passages and paths. When you reach the top, make sure you stop for a moment to enjoy the exceptional views over Lyon.

The Monts d'or

Looking for untamed nature and wide-open spaces? Just a few kilometres to the north-west of Lyon, the Monts-d’or (stretching out over a dozen kilometres) offer more than one hundred routes. The Monts d’or are formed of five hills: Mont-Thou (609 m), Mont-Cindre (469 m), Mont-Verdun (625 m), Mont-Py (565 m) and Mont-Narcel (582 m). With streams, paths, cliffs and woods, this offers a fantastic playground for trail enthusiasts!

Want more? The City of Lyon has developed the mobile application enform@Lyon (downloadable on Android or iOS), which offers different running routes in the city, to combine tourist discovery and sport. A highly recommended app!