Berges du Rhône and Centre Nautique Tony Bertrand
Why is it significant?
Continue along the landscaped lower quays of the Berges du Rhône to admire the striking modernist silhouette of the Centre Nautique Tony Bertrand, universally known to generations of Lyonnais as the Piscine du Rhône.
Key Facts
| Place | Berges du Rhône and Centre Nautique Tony Bertrand |
|---|---|
| Address | Quai Claude Bernard 8, 69007 Lyon, France |
| Geo Coordinates | 45.75800, 4.84150 |
| Part of Walk | Rhône Riverbanks and Parc de la Tête d'Or: River Promenades, Glasshouses, and Rose Gardens |
| Generated | Generated |
Continue along the landscaped lower quays of the Berges du Rhône to admire the striking modernist silhouette of the Centre Nautique Tony Bertrand, universally known to generations of Lyonnais as the Piscine du Rhône. Conceived by chief municipal architect Alexandre Audouze-Tabourin and opened in 1965 as part of Lyon's ambitious bid for the 1968 Summer Olympic Games, this iconic sports facility is dominated by a soaring sixty-eight-metre tripod mast in prestressed white concrete. Tensioned steel cables radiate from this majestic pylon to suspend the tiered viewing stands and pedestrian footbridges flanking the fifty-metre heated outdoor Olympic pool. Swimmers train here throughout all four seasons in water maintained at twenty-seven degrees Celsius, enjoying an unmatched architectural view across the water to the classical domes of the Grand Hôtel-Dieu. Restored extensively in 2014, the pool complex was designated a twentieth-century architectural heritage monument by the French Ministry of Culture. Along the riverside below, wooden boardwalks, sun decks, reed beds, and moored cafe barges stretch into the distance. The gentle rhythm of swimmers' strokes mingles with the murmuring flow of the river.
Look up at the sculptural concrete tripod mast: visible from both riverbanks, this daring piece of mid-century structural engineering resembles a colossal ship's sail leaning gracefully into the prevailing southern wind.
Until 2004, the wide promenade where you walk was an unsightly riverside parking lot accommodating over fifteen hundred automobiles, before the city boldly demolished the asphalt to restore five kilometres of natural riverbanks to pedestrians.
Notice the planted bioswales and floating wooden docks: these natural reed filtering beds cleanse rainwater runoff and have welcomed back native wildlife, including European beavers and kingfishers nesting along the Rhône.
Continue strolling northward along the water's edge toward the elegant riveted steel spans of Pont Lafayette.