Saône

The city of Lyon was built at the confluence of the Rhone and the Saône, whose source lies at the foot of the cliffs of the Faucilles Moutains in the Vosges. The 480 km-long river is particularly calm, which has long made it a practical, pleasant navigable waterway. The river's tributary, the Doubs, which joins it in the Saône-et-Loire region at Verdun-sur-le-Doubs, contributes significantly to its flow and also to its floods.

Today, the Rhône-Saône confluence is at the southern boundary of Lyon's 2nd District (69002), at what the people of Lyon call the Presqu'île (‘peninsula'). This part of Lyon, currently being renovated as part of the "Confluence" renewal project, lies adjacent to the Presqu'île and Perrache neighborhoods.

It is interesting to note however that the situation of this confluence is artificial. Indeed, the two rivers joined at the origin at the foot of the hill of the Croix Rousse, at the current place Terreaux in a marshy area. The successive expansion projects of the city of Lyon were then encouraged local mayors to gain ground on these wetlands and thus in 1760, the engineer Antoine Michel Perrache proposed to drain the swamps and repel the new confluence south.

Today Saône therefore quietly meanders between the hills of the Croix Rousse and Fourvière separating the central area of the peninsula, the Place des Terreaux at the confluence, through Bellecour and Perrache area and much older Old Lyon. Difficulty in opening a passage between two hills gave the river and particularly at the docks which were built on each bank stamp individual. Many buildings more or less ancient but still high quality along the quays on each side and the colors are painted facades give the impression that this neighborhood style Italian characteristic of Lyon.

Beyond this overall impression we will not fail to note no matter where you are several interesting sights are to report. Left side, it will obviously not find the Cathedral which marks the Old Lyon. Nearby, the Palais de Justice exhibe its 24 Corinthian columns on the dock where local artists exhibit their works every Sunday morning. Upstream district Vaise historically marked by the arrival of the National Road 6 from Paris. It came to violently hit the hill of the Croix Rousse and along the Saône was the only solution before the tunnels of the Croix Rousse then Fourviere do calm the impatience of motorists heading to the south of France.

On the right bank near the docks can be out a few walls painted recalling the history of Lyon and its famous inhabitants. Among them do not miss the most famous words "The fresco of Lyonnais at the corner of Martinière and quai St-Antoine which features thirty faces of men and women who have made Lyon: Ste-Blandine at Paul Bocuse, via Juliette Recamier, Ampère, the Lumière brothers or St-Exupéry ...

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