Pont de la Guillotière and the Historic Rhône Quays
Why is it significant?
Stand at the eastern bridgehead of Pont de la Guillotière and watch the swift, glacial blue waters of the Rhône River sweep beneath its wide arches.
Key Facts
| Place | Pont de la Guillotière and the Historic Rhône Quays |
|---|---|
| Address | Pont de la Guillotière 1, 69007 Lyon, France |
| Geo Coordinates | 45.75550, 4.84000 |
| Part of Walk | Rhône Riverbanks and Parc de la Tête d'Or: River Promenades, Glasshouses, and Rose Gardens |
| Generated | Generated |
Stand at the eastern bridgehead of Pont de la Guillotière and watch the swift, glacial blue waters of the Rhône River sweep beneath its wide arches. Established in the late twelfth century as a multi-arched stone bridge spanning over twenty spans, this venerable crossing was historically the sole permanent bridge allowing merchants, armies, and medieval pilgrims to cross the turbulent Rhône toward Italy, Savoy, and Provence through the independent faubourg of Guillotière. Repeatedly battered and undermined by violent alpine floods, the historic crossing was rebuilt in 1953 as a sleek steel-arched structure engineered by André Mogaray, framing a spectacular view northward toward the monumental dome of the Grand Hôtel-Dieu and the church spires of the Presqu'île. At your feet begins the Berges du Rhône promenade, a five-kilometre ribbon of riverside parkland reclaimed from asphalt parking lots in 2007. Fresh alpine air drifts off the river, invigorating walkers as they step down to the water's edge. Morning light sparkles brilliantly across the ripples.
Look at the immense volume and speed of the Rhône: originating in the Swiss glaciers of the Valais and flowing through Lake Geneva, the river rolls past Lyon with an immense, powerful current that required generations of river pilots and stone masons to tame.
On the night of October 11, 1711, a catastrophic crowd crush occurred on the narrow medieval bridge when returning festival crowds were blocked by a broken royal carriage: over two hundred panicked citizens perished in the darkness after plunging into the river.
Notice the wide granite amphitheatre steps descending directly to the water: these tiered terraces allow city dwellers and cyclists to sit right beside the current, marking a celebrated European model of urban ecological restoration.
Walk down to the lower riverside pathway heading north toward the striking mast of the Centre Nautique Tony Bertrand.