Confluence, Lyon

The River Saône is located in the Eastern of France, rising at Vioménil in the Vosges department. It flows southward to join the Rhône River in Lyon after a course of about 300 miles.

The Saône is navigable upstream from Lyon for 233 miles to Corre and has 30 locks (structure used to raise and lower vessels between two bodies of water at different levels on a river or canal waterway) along its course, which is almost completely canalized. Its basin is about 11,600 square miles. The Saône is connected by canal to both the Rhine and the Seine rivers.

Panoramic view of the bank of the River Saône with the basilica Fourvière in the center on top of the hill.

On the left, rising from the hill is the Metallic tower of Fourvière.

Closer view of the Basilica of Fourvière on top of the hill.

Looking back behind us is the Passerelle du Palais de Justice (Palais de Justice footbridge).

Quai of the river Saône

Kayak boats and ferry boat.

Walkway next to the river Saône.

Going under one of the many bridges on the river Saône.

Boat docking area with lots of boats.

This boat is so long.

Lots of trees and plants on the boat.

Not sure what this boat is used for but it is filled with plants.

More boats docking in this area.

We are now arriving at La Confluence a new and urban district of about 370 acres.

La Confluence is the new southern sector located the southern end of the Lyon peninsula. As Lyon's former industrial area, the Confluence district once housed the city's wholesale market, factories, prisons and the Port Rambaud, which supplied the city with goods arriving here via the river. Following the progressive closure of its factories in the late 20th century, the Confluence’s urbanization project has brought a new breath of life to the district, and helped to extend the city in a southerly direction.

On the right is the Confluence shopping mall, opened on 4 April 2012. It is located in the 2nd arrondissement of the city, in the new neighborhood of Confluence.

La Confluence is Europe’s largest urban development scheme and referred to as the first fully sustainable neighborhood, eco-friendly with 3,280 planted tall trees, clean water, clean air and 32 species of wild birds nestling in its unpolluted parks and forests, certified by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). This urban planning project is now aiming to become carbon-neutral.

The Confluence project radically changed the sociology of the district, causing rapid gentrification: the wholesale market and prisons were moved to Corbas, the Rambaud port was reconverted, industrial buildings and wastelands gave way to apartment buildings, offices and shops.

Crossing one of the bridge to get to the mall.

View of the left side from the bridge.

Apartment buildings structures, known as Hikari, emphasize the project's green credentials. Their unique design, advanced solar panels and state-of-the-art cooling systems mean they will produce more energy than they consume

The Pole de Commerces Shopping mall.

The Pôle de Commerces et de Loisirs de Confluence is a major landmark and a pass-through point on our walking tour.

The shopping mall is located halfway between the rivers Saône and Rhône, on the tip of Lyon's peninsula and in the heart of the new Confluence district.

This is the view back from where we came from. We just crossed the bridge you see in the back.

The entrance of the mall.

The Confluence mall boasts 3 levels devoted to shopping and new generation leisure activities: 75 stores dealing in fashion, decorating, sport and culture, 15 restaurants, 10 of which have a panoramic terrace overlooking the banks of the river Saône, a UGC movie multiplex with 14 movie theatres, a Novotel hotel with 150 rooms and many unusual leisure areas to be enjoyed with friends or family: a play center, climbing wall, fitness club.