Fun and games in Vénissieux

1. Getting around

Already linked to Lyon city centre by metro line D, Vénissieux will have a new tramway in 2026: the T10, a nearly 8-kilometre line connecting Vénissieux to Gerland via Saint-Fons. 
Works began in September 2023 and should be completed in two years

2. Treats for the eyes

To celebrate the festival Fêtes Escales and Bastille Day, a fireworks display will be held at Stade Laurent Gérin on Saturday the 13th of July. The next day, make your way to Dupic park for a picnic with wooden games, food trucks and concerts.

3. Discoveries

A town with an agricultural tradition, Vénissieux became industrialised in the early 20th century with the arrival of the Berliet automotive factories. Now owned by Renault Trucks, the plant continues to manufacture engines for lorries, boats and machines. You can learn about the manufacturing process and industrial expertise through a guided tour (shop.visiterlyon.com).

4. Bargain-hunting

Crockery, furniture, interior decoration, clothes, games... Wellknown among local bargain-hunters, Emmaüs Parilly Vénissieux is the largest second-hand shop in the Lyon metropolitan area. 10,000 tonnes of donated items are retrieved and put on display each year in this 3000 sq. m shop.

© Emmaüs

5. Local knowledge

Rose cultivation has a long history in Vénissieux. In the early twentieth century, more than twenty rose growers – including a dozen internationally renowned growers, such as the very famous Joseph Pernet-Ducher – set up roseries in the neighbourhoods of Parilly and Moulin-à-Vent. Today, the town has dedicated various locations to their honour. Discover the square of Pernet-Ducher, with its many rosebushes, and admire the wonderful rose mural on Boulevard Ambroise Croizat.

6. Fresh air

Terres’ and the park of Parilly, Vénissieux has several walking paths nearby that will take you through farmland and meadows, including the ‘Sentier des Alouettes’and the ‘Sentier des Moissons’. Both of these 3-km round walks are perfect for family outings, with picnic areas and water refill taps. You’ll also find two signposted walking routes in the town itself: ‘Les Temps Modernes’ and ‘Le Stade du Rhône’. 

7. Food

Located on the border with Lyon’s 8th district, the restaurant  Terrasse et Marmites is worth a detour. Home to many Lyonnais chefs, it has a shaded terrace where you can enjoy their flavoursome dishes. We also like La Casbah, an Algerian restaurant serving grilled meats and couscous; and, in the Parilly shopping area, the excellent pizzas at Ciao Nonna.

© Ciao Nonna

8. Sports

Certified by the ‘Terres de Jeux 2024’ Olympics label, Vénissieux welcomes sports with open arms. Following the Jeux Métropolitains (metropolitan games), the Foulée Vénissiane running race and the Grand Prix Cycliste bicycle road race, the town recently held a major celebration of sport and youth focussed on new Olympic sports like BMX, skateboarding and climbing. In early July and late August, sports days will be held to introduce young people and families to sports. Day outings will also be organised for 8-11 year-olds throughout the summer. Get your trainers on! 

9. Fun

Here’s an original activity, to say the least, which you can try at the sports complex We Are Sports: archery fighting! Wearing helmets with a visor, and armed with bows and arrows (with safety tips on the end thankfully!), teams of 8 to 20 players face each other in an hour-long battle. You don’t need to be trained in archery; a five-minute introduction is enough to get you started.

10. Vibes

You don’t need to wait for the Woodstower festival (see page 39) to dance this summer: shimmy over to the festival Fêtes Escales! Hosted by the town of Vénissieux from the 12th
to 14th of July, this totally free music event has been bringing eclectic lineups to festival-goers for more than two decades. On Friday the 12th, Dupic park will be filled with the sounds of rap and hip hop, with the rising rap star Georgio, as well as Cyrious and the Lyonnais duo Da Break. On the 13th, world music will be on the menu, with flavours from Colombia, Congo and North Africa, including the Gnawa music ensemble Orchestre national de Barbès. You’ll find the full programme on the event's Facebook page.

© Ville de Vénissieux

Itinéraires à retrouver sur grandlyon.com