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Lyon seen from Fourvière hill, with the Saône quays, the Presqu'île rooftops and the domed opera house roof in the centre

France

Lyon

Photo: Mathieudu68, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

With Grégory Doucet re-elected mayor in March 2026, Lyon is preparing a natural river swimming site at Confluence for summer 2027 and renovating heritage buildings for culture and ecology.

Updated · Checked against official sources

  • Population

    519,127

    2023 census

  • Mayor

    Grégory Doucet, re-elected on 27 March 2026 with 46 of 73 votes

  • EU programmes

    5

Latest

  1. Climate and energy ·

    Lyon's first natural swimming site at Confluence confirmed for summer 2027

    The Métropole de Lyon has confirmed the Confluence swimming project, allowing the city to work towards opening a supervised river bathing area in summer 2027.

    Facts and source
    • Métropole president Véronique Sarselli confirmed the continuation of the project, with opening targeted for summer 2027.
    • The site will cover about 1,500 m², and capacity has been capped at 300 people.
    • Nearly 10,000 people answered the city's online consultation.

    Source: Ville de Lyon, “Baignade de Confluence : le projet verra le jour à l'été 27”

  2. Climate and energy ·

    Lyon picks operator for ecological transition hub in former fine-arts school

    The City of Lyon has chosen the Pali Pali group to run a community venue on ecological transition at the Neyret site, due to open gradually from 2028.

    Facts and source
    • The city designated the Pali Pali group to manage and run the future venue in the former École des Beaux-Arts.
    • The rehabilitation programme for the building of nearly 6,000 m² is estimated at €15 million.
    • Works are planned for 2027, with the site opening gradually from 2028.

    Source: Ville de Lyon, “Nouvelle étape pour le site Neyret !”

  3. Mobility ·

    Record 17,517 responses to Lyon consultation on car-free rue Grenette

    A month-long online consultation on rue Grenette, a year after it was reserved for public transport, drew the largest response on Lyon's participation platform, with most respondents backing the change.

    Facts and source
    • 17,517 people responded, the largest participatory exercise since the platform was created in 2022.
    • The public-transport lane on rue Grenette is used by nearly 90,000 people a day.
    • 72.3% of respondents favour keeping rue Grenette free of car traffic.

    Source: Ville de Lyon, “Consultation rue Grenette : une participation record !”

  4. Mobility ·

    Lyon is the only French city to reach the top "4 vélos" cycling label

    Lyon has received the highest level of the Tour de France organisers' "Ville à vélo" label, scoring 81 points for its cycling policy.

    Facts and source
    • Lyon is the only French city to obtain the maximum "4 vélos" level; 25 cities were recognised this year.
    • Only Lausanne and Vitoria-Gasteiz reached the same level elsewhere in Europe.
    • Lyon scored 81 points in the assessment.

    Source: Ville de Lyon, “La Ville de Lyon labellisée "4 vélos"”

  5. Culture ·

    Lyon starts €3.15 million renovation of the Villa Gillet literary centre

    The City of Lyon began works in spring 2026 to modernise the Villa Gillet, improving its energy performance and accessibility and adding writers' residences, with delivery due at the end of 2027.

    Facts and source
    • The total cost of the operation is €3.15 million.
    • Works began in spring 2026 and delivery is planned for the end of 2027.
    • The attic will be converted into offices and writers' residences reached by lift.

    Source: Ville de Lyon, “Rénovation et modernisation de la Villa Gillet”

City briefs are drafted with AI from official sources; every fact is checked against the source text before an editor approves it.

Projects we track

4 projects · 1 completed · 1 under way

    1. Planned
    2. Funded
    3. Under way
    4. Completed

    Confluence natural swimming site

    A seasonal, supervised swimming area of about 1,500 m² in the Confluence dock, run as a project by SPL Confluence; the Métropole confirmed it on 7 October 2026, with opening targeted for summer 2027.

    Climate and energy

    Status checked 20 October 2026 · Source

    1. Planned
    2. Funded
    3. Under way
    4. Completed

    Neyret site: former fine-arts school turned ecological transition hub

    The city is rehabilitating the former École des Beaux-Arts on the Croix-Rousse slopes to house its archaeology service, a resilience school and a community venue run by the Pali Pali group; works start in 2027 and the site opens gradually from 2028.

    Budget 15 millions d'euros (estimated rehabilitation programme) Funded by Ville de Lyon Regeneration and housing

    Status checked 20 October 2026 · Source

    1. Planned
    2. Funded
    3. Under way
    4. Completed

    Villa Gillet renovation

    Works on the house of contemporary writing in the Parc de la Cerisaie aim to improve energy performance and accessibility and add writers' residences and podcast studios; delivery is planned for the end of 2027.

    Budget 3,15 millions d'euros Funded by Ville de Lyon Culture

    Status checked 20 October 2026 · Source

    1. Planned
    2. Funded
    3. Under way
    4. Completed

    Esplanade Pina-Bausch greening (8th arrondissement)

    The former Place du Bachut in front of the Maison de la Danse has been turned into a cool island with 3,800 m² of new planted areas and 101 trees, in a district short of public green space.

    Funded by Ville de Lyon, in partnership with the Métropole de Lyon Climate and energy

    Status checked 20 October 2026 · Source

EU programmes and networks

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