Lyon will open its first natural bathing site at the Confluence dock, with the target set for summer 2027. At a meeting with Mayor Grégory Doucet, Véronique Sarselli, President of the Métropole de Lyon, confirmed that the project will go ahead. The decision allows the city to fully launch work on a new place for residents to cool down.
What was decided and who runs it
In January 2026, the city council gave responsibility for developing the site to SPL Confluence, which has steered the project since then. The project was prepared with the Métropole, the regional health agency (ARS), DREAL, SDMIS, SYTRAL, SDJES and Voies Navigables de France (VNF). With the Métropole’s approval, the city says a new stage has been reached and it is counting on all partners to meet the 2027 target.
How the site will work
The plan provides for a secured and delimited bathing area of about 1,500 m². Two uses have been identified: recreational and family swimming, and swimming for sport. Planned facilities include:
- showers and lockers
- a first-aid post
- rest areas
- access for people with reduced mobility
The city has committed that the site will open only in summer and during the day. It will be monitored day and night, and capacity has been set at a maximum of 300 people.
Water quality and consultation
In May 2025, the Métropole presented its study on bathing in the Rhône and the Saône, which identified 21 potential sites. The Confluence dock stood out because it is away from the main port activities and its banks allow a seasonal, reversible and secured installation. A first round of water analyses was carried out in 2025 and completed by a second in 2026, with very satisfactory results.
Nearly 10,000 people answered an online questionnaire run from April to June 2026, and 74% of respondents said they could imagine swimming at Confluence. The city also organised two urban walks, a meeting with local residents on 20 May, a meeting with shopkeepers and a public event on 6 June on the place nautique.
Why it matters and what comes next
The city treats access to swimming as a major public health issue in a context of climate warming and repeated heatwaves. The temporary summer site will add to the existing offer of swimming pools. Doucet said: “For the first time in Lyon, a bathing site in a natural setting will open in the heart of the city.” The site will also serve as a full-scale trial before studies begin to consider a new bathing site at Gerland.