Parc de la Tête d'Or, Lyon

About the Parc de la Tête d'Or

The Parc de la Tête d'Or, the 'Golden Head', is Lyon's main park on the left bank of the Rhône, in the 6th arrondissement. It was once marshy floodplain, and the name comes from an old legend of a treasure with a golden head of Christ said to be buried here.

The park was planned in the mid-19th century 'to give nature to those who have none'. Swiss landscape designers the Bühler brothers laid it out on the model of the Bois de Boulogne, and in 1857 it opened to the public. Today its 117 hectares hold a lake, a zoo, a botanical garden, a rose garden, sports grounds and shady avenues.

What to see

• The lake — boats and pedalos in summer, Swan Island.
• The zoo — giraffes, primates and the African plain.
• The botanical garden — 19th-century glasshouses and tropics.
• The rose garden — thousands of roses in season.
• The Enfants du Rhône gate — an 11-metre ceremonial entrance.
• The mini train — a loop of the park for children.

The zoo

In the middle of the park is a small free zoo, one of the oldest in France. It began with sheep, chickens and cows, and exotic animals arrived later. Today it's home to giraffes, deer, primates, reptiles and more.

The newest part is the African plain, opened in 2006: giraffes, zebras and antelopes roam a spacious area viewed from walkways. It's a favourite with Lyon's children, especially at weekends.

Botanical garden and glasshouses

Lyon's botanical garden moved to the park in 1857 and now covers 7 hectares, with collections compared to those of the Natural History Museum in Paris. Its highlight is the great glasshouses of 19th-century glass and iron, full of tropical plants, palms and cacti.

Next door is the rose garden, laid out in the 1960s with thousands of bushes of many varieties. Lyon is famous for roses: renowned 19th-century breeders created new varieties here.

The lake and walks

The big lake is the heart of the park. People have boated on it since 1861, and hire opens in summer. Swan Island has quiet corners, reached by a 1930s underground passage.

The main entrance is the monumental Enfants du Rhône gate, 32 metres long and 11 metres high. Paths for running and cycling wind through the park, with a velodrome, mini-golf, boules courts and an equestrian centre. A mini train runs for children.

Tips for your visit

Allow two to three hours for the park, half a day with the zoo and glasshouses. Enter by the Enfants du Rhône gate, walk round the lake, then the zoo and botanical garden.

The park pairs well with a stroll along the Rhône quays and the centre; set aside separate time for historic Lyon in Vieux-Lyon and at Fourvière Basilica.

Paths are flat and wide, great with a pushchair or scooter. There are cafés, ice-cream kiosks, toilets and playgrounds.

How to do it right

• Roses in spring.
• The zoo is free.
• Bring a picnic rug.
• Metro A to Masséna.

Questions