Cycle tour from Villars-les-Dombes to Lyon’s 1st district

Route specs

• 56% cycle paths
• Linear route between Villars-les-Dombes and Lyon centre
• Distance: 50 kilometres
• Altitude difference: 190+
• Level: easy. This may be a challenging route for children unused to long cycling trips.
• Estimated time to complete the route: 4 hours with breaks
• Departure: Gare de Villars-les-Dombes, accessible by TER train from Gare de Vaise, Perrache or Part-Dieu. 

Komoot route map

Points of interest and locations along the route

• Parc des Oiseaux (bird park), 
• Natural region of Dombes,
• Traditional Villages of Dombes,
• Château de Montellier, a remarkable monument,
• Voie de la Dombes on the plateau de Caluire,
• The district of Croix-Rousse in Lyon

Route description

It will take you about half an hour by TER train to get from Lyon city centre (frequent daily departures) to the station of Villars-les-Dombes. After arriving at the train station, make your way to the Parc des Oiseaux, Europe’s largest ornithology park.

Next, the route winds between lakes along quiet roads, taking you through the characterful villages of the region of Dombes. It will also take you close to Château du Montellier, a striking private property listed as a Historic Monument, which opens to visitors on European Heritage Days.  

This is an ideal region for picnics, so make the most of it. Nature lovers, bring your binoculars, as the region is bustling with birds. 

As you approach Lyon, the road network gets denser, but the route continues along little-used roads until the church of Sathonay-Village, perched on a hill that offers a sweeping view of the urban fabric and the Monts d’Or, on the other side of the Saône. The route then links up with the Voie de la Dombes (a walking path running along a former railway line). You can stop at the Maison de la Voie Verte, the old level-crossing gate-keeper's cottage, which opens as a cafe when the weather is warm. This path takes you through the town of Caluire to the district-cum-village of Croix-Rousse, where you can descend the slopes of the hill to Place des Terreaux, on Lyon’s peninsula between the rivers Rhône and Saône.  

Safety notice: over short distances, the route will sometimes take you along busy road sections, so make sure you are visible! (This concerns 3 km of the route).