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Top 10 Things to Do in Villeurbanne

Villeurbanne is the second largest city in the Metropolis of Lyon in Auvergne-Rh葟ne-Alpes region in Eastern France. It was elected city with the best administration of France in 2013. The current name of the city comes from a Gallo-Roman farming area known as the Ville Urbana meaning 鈥渢own houses鈥�. It was then rebranded to Urbanum, then Villa Urbane and finally to Villeurbanne.

The city grew as an industrial suburb of Lyon having the first skyscraper in France built there in 1930s. The city is a green paradise that has been able to preserve its natural and man-made heritage making it a charming city for you to discover its hidden gems. Here are 10 fun things to do while at Villeurbanne.

1. Puces du Canal

Puces du Canal – Flickr

This is the best place to get your souvenirs during your trip. It is a real shopper鈥檚 heaven where you can spend almost a whole day just popping from one shop to another. Enjoy the vast selection of mostly French vintage and antiques dating as far back as the 17^th century church relics and contemporary price friendly items. Shop till you drop!

The Puces du Canal was founded in the 19^th century as part of a strong legacy of fairs and commercial spaces. It is located along the Canal de Jonage. This trading centre is the first flea market in Auvergne-Rh葟ne-Alpes and the second laerges in France. The flea market is also known to host events all year round.

2. Gratte 鈥� ciel de Villeurbanne

Gratte-ciel Villeurbanne – Wikimedia Commons

The past will always guide our future. The Gratte-ciel de Villeurbanne was the first skyscraper of Villeurbanne and the first to be built in France as well. This outstanding architectural workmanship is not the tallest building in either places but it provides an insight to the initial styles and techniques of building skyscrapers in France. Through the skyscraper you can compare and appreciate modern building techniques.

The skyscraper of Villeurbanne covers 7 hectares and was built from 1927 to 1934 as a real symbol center of Villeurbanne. It was intended to solve the housing crises, with about 900 housing units, that the city was facing. The skyscraper was a meeting of a visionary between Mayor Lazare Goujon of Villeurbanne and architect Morice Leroux.

3. Parc de la Feyssine

Parc Feyssine Villeurbanne – Wikimedia Commons

The great outdoors is the place where you go to be one with nature. Take in a deep breath of the fresh air and enjoy the green scenery in this wooded park. Stroll, hike or mountain bike on the park trails as you learn more about the park and its environment on the information exhibits located every 100 m.

The parc de la Feyssine is located between the Rhone River and the college campus of La Dona. The area where the park is located was a former marshland. The park covers 45 hectares and it鈥檚 the largest green natural space in Villeurbanne. It was opened to the public in 2002.

4. Eglise Sainte Madeleine

脡glise Sainte Madeleine des Charpennes – Wimipedia

The stained-glass windows of this church make the interior of the church flood with colors. It鈥檚 such a wonderful site. The mirrors were made by Luc and Pascal Barbier. Majority of the glasses are just segmented colored glasses but there are three figurative stained glasses; the stained-glass window of the Blessed Sacrament, the stained-glass window of the virgin and the stained-glass window of Saint Madeleine.

Church of Sainte-Madeleine is located in Charpennes district on Place Wilson. The church was built when the residents of the now highly populated Villeurbanne petitioned the Bishop Simon on April 1825 to authorize the construction of a church in the area. This is because the Saint Julien de Cusset church (now Saint Athanase church) was insufficient. The church was inaugurated on March 14^th 1844.

5. Promenade du defile de la Sa葟ne

Saone carnaval 2008 – Wikimedia Commons

The Promenade du defile de la Sa葟ne is a 2.9 km pathway on the left bank of the Sa葟ne River. Take a stroll along this path and enjoy the cool breeze of this calm and gentle flowing river. As you walk you can also enjoy the rich historical and geographical sites that constitute a vivid image as this is where the city first developed.

The pedestrian pathway is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It overlooks the old town of Lyon and is overlooked by the Fourvi猫re hill. Along the trail are 37 parks, gardens and squares. It鈥檚 also the site of the Twelve Totems which are located in different spots: It is also site of the famous Sa葟ne festival.

6. Musee des Confluences

Musee des Confluences – Wikipedia

We are encouraged by scientist to learn something new every day, the Mus茅e de Confluence is the place where you will not only learn something new but it is also the place where you will get answers to life鈥檚 tough questions; how did we come to be.

The Mus茅e des Confluences is a scientific and anthropology museum that was opened on 20^th December 2014 on the confluence of the Rhone and Sa葟ne River. The building architectural design resembles a floating crystal cloud of stainless steel and clear glass. It is the design of firm Coop Himmel, an Austrian company.

The four major exhibits of the museum are; Origins, deals with the questions of origin and history of the universe and the origin and evolution of living creatures especially man, Species, it explores the link between man and animals and their evolution through time, Societies, it deals with the social aspect of man through the years and Eternities, it explores the meaning of life, the inevitable death of man and how different societies have dealt with this question.

7. La Loge du Change

Le Temple du Change, illumin茅 la nuit – Wikipedia

As the name suggests this building has been used for various activities over the years. Before being assigned to be a Protestant worshiping area in 1803 it used to be a stock exchange building. Such a big jump in activities. La Logue du Change was declared a historical monument in 1913.

The building was originally designed by architect Simon Gourdet and built between 1631 and 1653. It was rebuilt again between 1748 and 1750 under the designs of architect Jacques-Germain Soufflot.

8. Grand Parc Miribel Jonage

Logo Grand Parc Miribel Jonage – Wikipedia

The Grand Parc Miribel Jonage is a diverse place with four major functions. One of the four major functions is it鈥檚 a leisure activities place. It鈥檚 the place where you can be bombarded with beautiful aromas of the colorful flora, observe and admire the diverse fauna species or simply enjoy a game of golf in the parks golf club.

The Grand Parc鈥檚 four main functions are; to build an emergency drinking water resource for the town, to establish a flood-prone area which shields the urban area, to provide a natural heritage protection area to the flora, fauns, the Grands Vernes 聽and many more, and to provide a leisure site.

The park covers almost 2,200 hectares on the Island of Miribel-Jonage. It was created in the mid-19^th century by digging the Miribel and Jonage canals.

9. Eglise de la Nativite

Villeurbanne 脡glise de la Nativit茅 – Wikipedia

Don鈥檛 let the classical and sober architecture of 脡glise de la Nativit茅, the Church of the Nativity, with its pale yellow fa莽ade fool you. The interior of the church is adorned with objects and furniture that is sure to excite you.

The simple but yet harmonious Catholic Church dates back to 1835 and is located at avenue G茅n茅ral-Leclerc. It overlooks the Place Grandcl茅ment.

10. Institut d鈥橝rt Contemporain

Institut d鈥橝rt Contemporain – Wikimedia Commons

Art is one of the many ways we express ourselves and has been part of human history from the begining. The Institut d鈥橝rt Contemporain displays the best modern art that this generation has to offer from sculptures to paintings. You can also purchase one of these modern pieces to support the new generation of Picassos.

Institut d鈥橝rt Contemporain is a contemporary art center. The museum was born in 1998 from the merging of the contemporary art center Le Nouveau Mus茅e and the FRAC Rh么ne-Alpes.