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Special feature
Special feature
Lyon, by the water’s edge
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Guillaume Robert-Famy
Named 'Entre Rhône et Saône', Lyon's festival of water was held in the city from the 30th of June to the 2nd of July 2023 with bucketloads of fun and environmentally-friendly activities. It has benn an opportunity for the people of Lyon to get back in touch with the history of their rivers and humanity's most precious asset. Ready to dive in?
Without its two rivers, Lyon would not be the city it is today. Did you know that before its coat of arms bore a lion, Lyon’s emblem was a bridge? “More specifically, that bridge was the Pont du Change, no longer standing, which linked the square of the same name to Saint-Nizier,” tells us Pierre-Jean Souriac, lecturer in modern history at Université Jean Moulin, and
co-author of ‘Nouvelle histoire de Lyon et de la métropole’ (published by Editions Privat). For a long while, the Saône played the most important role of the two rivers in Lyon’s development, even though it is not as large as the wide and fast-flowing Rhône. Untameable until the late eighteenth century, it frequently flooded the lands of the Tête d’Or and Guillotière districts, but its presence provided the city with major trade opportunities: “Along with Valence, Lyon was the only place where it was possible to cross the Rhône in former times,” adds Pierre-Jean Souriac.
A rekindled relationship
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DR
Creating both obstacles and wealth, the rivers have always shaped Lyon, for merly the “Capital of the Gauls”. Over the years, works have been constantly carried out to turn them to the city’s advantage. Following redevelopment of the banks of the Rhône, in 2007, which took motor traffic away from the banks at river level, allowing strollers to enjoy them once again, it was the turn of the Saône. In 2013, a long stretch of the river’s banks (50 km in total) were transformed to allow the (re) birth of a whole range of attractions, including river boat bars, pontoons and little marinas where people go rowing, canoeing and sailing. It is also possible to hire an electric boat (with or without a license) and enjoy drinks on a river cruise aboard the Vaporetto.
The rivers really come to life in the summer, but the cold weather doesn’t keep people away entirely, a fact that is attested to by the ‘Traversée de Lyon à la nage’, a swimming race held each winter where hardy souls equipped with flippers gather to brave the icy water. Lyon’s Green mayor wanted to further strengthen the city’s special relationship with its rivers through the festival Entre Rhône et Saône. “In the past, there were many activities on and around the rivers, but not so much now. We therefore designed the festival to be a popular, family-friendly and environmentally-friendly gathering,” says Audrey Hénocque, First Vice-Mayor of the City of Lyon. Offering a new way for the people of Lyon to connect with their rivers, the event will be a chance for children and adults to discover various water sports and nautical activities, such as jousting and kayak racing, as well as dancing at pop-up guinguettes (small restaurants with music), set up near Île Barbe and between the bridges Pont de la Guillotière and Pont Wilson. Nearby, an effigy of the ‘Mâchecroute’ will revive the forgotten legend of the flood-bringing dragon, which people imagined lurking in the depths of the Rhône.
A treasure for humanity
Awareness-raising and depollution actions will also be held: “The festival is an opportunity to consider how we can protect water and our river ecosystems, which are home to great biodiversity,” continues Audrey Hénocque, adding that Yann Arthus Bertrand has emerged as the natural ambassador of this first edition of the festival. “With global warming, increasing drought and pesticide use, this biodiversity and the inestimable asset that is water are threatened,” warns the famous photographer.
This worrying situation, highlighted by the latest IPCC report, is something that the event organisers want to face with a positive and fun approach to ecology. With this in mind, Entre Rhône et Saône will end in spectacular fashion with ‘DéRives’, a water parade lasting several hours, where luminous floating figures will make their way down the river. This magical sight will be followed by another just a few days later, with the traditional Bastille Day fireworks display. This event has been held between the rivers Rhône and Saône since the reign of Louis XIII.
Down with plastic bottles!
People are often put off going into bars to ask for water because they will feel obliged to take a seat and order drinks. This is why Lyon decided to join the #GourdeFriendly movement, which enables everybody, residents and tourists alike, to fill their drinking bottles for free at a wide selection of bars, restaurants, hotels and shops, which will be more than happy to oblige! This easy win for the environment is accessible to all.
See a map of all #refillyourbottle locations.
Water for well-being
Like a tribute to its neighbour, the river Saône, Spa Lyon-Plage celebrates water in all its forms. Covering more than 8000 square metres, it is France’s largest indoor spa! In
addition to its famous Olympic pool (which is worth a detour alone) and its 25-metre indoor pool, people come to relax in the open-air hydromassage area, a cave with waterfalls, and water bubble beds. You will also find saunas, hammams and Sanariums. One visit is never enough!
A fresh experience!
It’s summer, the heat is stifling and the blue water of the Mediterranean seems far, far away. This is the perfect time to go stand-up paddleboarding on the Rhône, between the Cité Internationale and Confluence, or canoeing on the Saône, from Île Barbe. You can discover these sports alone orwith guidance from professional instructors.
La voie Bleue
Running from Luxembourg to Lyon, the cycle route ‘La Voie Bleue’ winds its way along former towpaths by the Moselle and then the Saône. You can take a bicycle trip as a family to visit Trévoux for a weekend, where you will find a famous medieval castle and the old parliament. For food, we recommend the restaurant Belles Rives, which serves fresh frog’s legs and fried smelt fish. At the campsite Kanopée overlooking the river, you will find comfortable chalets, for a well-deserved night’s rest. On the way back, you can stop at the Maison Éclusière de Parcieux, a former lockkeeper’s house that is now home to a cultural centre, before having lunch at Les Petites Voiles, which has a splendid terrace by the water, with a view of the Monts d’Or. Then it’s just a short bike ride back to Lyon!
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Guillaume ROBERT-FAMY
Meeting with Laurence Cerclier, operation manager at Les Bateaux lyonnais
Over the course of her 25-year career, Laurence Cerclier has seen many boats sail and stories unfold on the rivers Rhône and Saône. Here are some excerpts from our conversation.
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Frédéric Durantet
What is the history of Les Bateaux lyonnais?
Formed in 1984, the company wanted to revive river tourism, which had totally disappeared, in Lyon. And yet, between the late nineteenth century and right up until the eve of the First World War, millions of passengers used the ‘bateaux-mouche’ (translator’s note: large river boats that are now famous in Paris for sightseeing), which are actually originally from Lyon, to travel between Perrache and Vaise. With the arrival of the tramway, this transport mode became obsolete, but it is now making a comeback. In 1995, we took 50,000 passengers on river tours; today that figure stands at more than 200,000, including 80,000 for dinner cruises.
What kind of relationship do the people of Lyon have with water?
I think that everybody has a different relationship with it,but the rivers Rhône and Saône have clearly shaped the city and are major landmarks for the people who live here. For
example, the position of streets in relation to the rivers and their direction of flow determines how they are numbered. On our boats, we see many Lyonnais who are proud to share their city from the river with visitors they receive. Works carried out to improve the city are particularly evident when viewed from the rivers, not to mention redevelopment of the banks that has allowed people to stroll along the water’s edge. It’s amazing to see how young people have made this part of the city their own.
What’s your personal relationship with this element?
It’s very strong, as it forms part of my daily routine. Each morning, I watch the sun come up over the Saône from my office, and it’s a magnificent sight. Water is living matter; its
reflections shift with the blowing of the wind, and the colour of the sky. And it never flows at the same speed. Not to mention the richness of the fauna that lives along the river shores, including cormorants, moorhens, herons and even coypus.
Why does Lyon look so different from the water?
It offers a totally different way of seeing the cityscapes. There is a much wider, more open view from the water. Passengers travel at 12 kmph with this gentle transport mode that allows time to observe things, much more than when driving or even walking. I discover new things each time. For example, I’m always very struck by how much greenery there is in the city, particularly on Fourvière Hill. I recently discovered that goats are used to keep the vegetation at bay above the Saint-Georges neighbourhood. Travelling by water produces a great feeling of calm, especially when the river banks are teeming with people!
Which side are you on: the Rhône or Saône?
Both, captain! The slope of the Rhône is steeper, it flows faster and its bluish water comes from the mountains. The Saône flows more slowly and comes from the plains. Its emerald
colour turns brownish when the water is choppy. When you look at aerial photos of the Confluence, you can see that the waters do not mix immediately. Each has its own personality!
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Dominique Fusina
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