Vélodrome Georges-Préveral and the Centenary Woodlands

Why is it significant?

Conclude your journey through the green corridors and botanical wonders of Lyon at the historic clearing of the Vélodrome Georges-Préveral, nestled in the northern woodlands of the Parc de la Tête d'Or.

Key Facts

Open the walk

Conclude your journey through the green corridors and botanical wonders of Lyon at the historic clearing of the Vélodrome Georges-Préveral, nestled in the northern woodlands of the Parc de la Tête d'Or. Inaugurated in 1894 for the Lyon International and Colonial Exhibition and modernized with a steep concrete track in 1934, this three-hundred-and-thirty-three-metre banked cycling oval is one of the oldest active outdoor velodromes in France. Shaded by monumental English oaks, giant plane trees, and purple beeches, the velodrome hosted the prestigious UCI Track Cycling World Championships in 1989 and served as the beloved training track for generations of Lyon cycling champions, including the pioneering track rider Georges Préveral for whom it is named. All around the circuit stretch sun-dappled recreational lawns where families gather for picnics, games, and leisurely afternoon reading beneath the dense leafy canopy. The rhythmic whirr of bicycle chains and the rustle of centenary leaves in the river breeze create an idyllic portrait of French urban leisure. The warm afternoon sun filters through the oak branches.

Inspect the steep banking of the concrete turns: rising to an angle of forty-three degrees in the curves, the banked track was engineered to allow track cyclists to whip through bends at speeds exceeding seventy kilometres per hour using pedal power alone.

Spanning one hundred and seventeen hectares, the Parc de la Tête d'Or is the largest public urban park located inside a city center in France, exceeding the size of London's Hyde Park and the Villa Borghese gardens in Rome.

Listen to the peaceful silence under the ancient oaks: the Bühler brothers designed this democratic green sanctuary to ensure that every citizen of Lyon, from humble silk weavers to wealthy merchants, could enjoy free access to the health and beauty of nature.

Here, among the whispering centenary trees, the cooling breezes of the Great Lake, and the fragrant memories of the rose capital, we conclude our journey through the Rhône riverbanks and the Parc de la Tête d'Or, a magnificent living masterpiece of nature, science, and civic generosity in the heart of Lyon.