Neighbourhood guide

Parc de la Tête d'Or

A free park of 105 hectares, plus the Brotteaux streets around it

The Parc de la Tête d'Or opened in the late 1850s and is among the largest urban parks in France, with a lake, a botanical garden, a zoo and rose gardens, all free. The Cité Internationale and the Brotteaux district sit along its edges.

Inside the park, the Jardin botanique covers 8 hectares of greenhouses and outdoor collections, the zoo includes an African plain and the Forêts d'Asie area, and three rose gardens include the 50,000 square-metre Roseraie internationale. The Véritable Théâtre Guignol has staged traditional puppet shows since 1948, and the Chalet du Parc reopened beside the lake in September 2026.

Along the park's western edge, Renzo Piano's Cité Internationale holds the macLYON contemporary art museum, a cinema, hotels and offices. Further south, the Brotteaux district has the former Gare des Brotteaux, place Maréchal Lyautey, the Église Saint-Pothin and the Tête d'Or market on place Elmaleh.

Getting there

Metro line B stops at Brotteaux, next to the former station, and line A stops at Foch, close to place Maréchal Lyautey. The macLYON is served by TCL bus lines C1, C5 and C23 at the Musée d'art contemporain stop, and bus 41 serves place Elmaleh.

12 places

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See Parc de la Tête d'Or on the interactive map

What to see

A visit usually starts at the Porte des Enfants du Rhône and follows the lake to the greenhouses, the rose gardens and the zoo. Guignol shows run on Wednesdays, weekends and holidays, and the park closes in winds above 70 km/h.

Outside the park, the former Gare des Brotteaux was built from 1904 to 1908 and has been listed since 1982. The Église Saint-Pothin, from 1841 to 1843, has a columned front like a Greek temple.

Where to eat and drink

The Chalet du Parc serves local, seasonal produce through La Fabuleuse Cantine, according to the city of Lyon. The Marché alimentaire Tête d'Or on place Elmaleh runs on Wednesday and Saturday mornings. City pages also list restaurants at the Cité Internationale and beside the former Brotteaux station.

Nearby neighbourhoods

Part-Dieu Station, library and the covered market 4 places · 1.4 km away

Croix-Rousse Silk workers' hill, traboules and Sunday markets 14 places · 1.6 km away

Presqu'île The peninsula between Rhône and Saône 24 places · 2.2 km away

Vieux Lyon Renaissance lanes between the Saône and the hill 7 places · 2.4 km away

The best of Parc de la Tête d'Or

Best museum Musée d'art contemporain de Lyon (macLYON) Contemporary art beside the park and a Biennale venue until 13 December 2026.

Best park Parc de la Tête d'Or Free, open daily, and large enough for a half day.

Best for children Parc zoologique de Lyon Free zoo, closed on Tuesdays.

Things to do in Parc de la Tête d'Or

Gilded entrance gates of the Parc de la Tête d'Or in Lyon

Park · Free Parc de la Tête d'Or Free city park of 105 hectares laid out in 1856 to 1858 with a 16-hectare lake, a botanical garden, a zoo and rose gardens, open every day of the year.

Glasshouse and lawns of the Jardin botanique in the Parc de la Tête d'Or, Lyon

Park · Free Jardin botanique de Lyon Botanical garden of 8 hectares of greenhouses and outdoor collections, some labelled by the IUCN, with a rose garden telling the history of the rose.

Flamingos in a pond at the zoo of the Parc de la Tête d'Or in Lyon

Park · Free Parc zoologique de Lyon Free zoo of 8 hectares inside the park, one of the oldest in France, with an African plain and the Forêts d'Asie area holding 25 threatened species.

Pergola and rose beds of the Roseraie internationale in the Parc de la Tête d'Or, Lyon

Park Roseraie internationale Rose garden of 50,000 square metres, one of three in the park, alongside a rose garden for the international new-rose competition and the botanical garden's historical collection.

Wooden pavilion of the Guignol puppet theatre in the Parc de la Tête d'Or, Lyon

Special · Adults 8 euros, children 2 to 12 7 euros Véritable Théâtre Guignol du Parc de la Tête d'Or Traditional Guignol puppet theatre in the park, performing the classic Lyon shows since 1948.

Cafe Chalet du Parc Restored lakeside chalet reopened in September 2026 with a local-produce restaurant, workshops, exhibitions and a forest serious game.

Facade of the macLYON contemporary art museum beside the Parc de la Tête d'Or

Museum Musée d'art contemporain de Lyon (macLYON) Contemporary art museum at the Cité Internationale beside the park, a main venue of the 18th Biennale de Lyon until 13 December 2026.

Glass-roofed covered street of the Cité Internationale in Lyon

Landmark Cité Internationale District designed by Renzo Piano with landscape architect Michel Corajoud, grouping the contemporary art museum, congress centre, cinema, hotels, restaurants and a public garden.

Belle Epoque facade of the former Gare des Brotteaux in Lyon

Landmark Ancienne gare des Brotteaux Station built from 1904 to 1908 by Paul d'Arbaut, closed to trains in 1983, now an auction hall and offices, listed as a monument historique in 1982.

Fountain with statue in Place Maréchal Lyautey in Lyon's 6th arrondissement

Landmark Place Maréchal Lyautey Square that best keeps Morand's 1764 urban plan, with the René Desjardins fountain, boules courts and two flower kiosks built after the First World War.

Market Marché alimentaire Tête d'Or Food market of 36 traders on place Elmaleh selling fruit and vegetables, cheese, meat, poultry, charcuterie, fish and flowers.

Neoclassical columned portico of the Église Saint-Pothin in Lyon

Church Église Saint-Pothin Church of 1841 to 1843, the oldest in the Brotteaux, with a Doric colonnade like a Greek temple and an apse listed as a monument historique.

What's on in Parc de la Tête d'Or

Local events in the next 30 days, read from the ward, park and organiser pages each one links to.

Lyon on its feet: solidarity concert for shopkeepers Concert
Tue 17 Nov · Mairie du 6e arrondissement
Concert at Mairie du 6e arrondissement.
Map · Source: Mairies d'arrondissement de Lyon · Lyon debout : concert solidaire pour les commerçants
The Tête d'Or park, living heritage Exhibition
On now, until 29 Nov · Parc de la Tête d'or
Exhibition at Parc de la Tête d'or.
Map · Source: Mairies d'arrondissement de Lyon · Le Parc de la Tête d'or, patrimoine vivant
Jouer : Des moments à partager Activities
Sat 21 Nov · Bibliothèque du 6e
Activity at the Bibliothèque du 6e, a branch of the Bibliothèque municipale de Lyon.
10:00 to 12:00 · Map · Source: Bibliothèque municipale de Lyon
1,000 K...Δ Illumination
Sat 5 Dec, Sun 6 Dec, Mon 7 Dec, Tue 8 Dec · Parc de la Tête d'or
Event at Parc de la Tête d'or.
Map · Source: Fête des Lumières · 1 000 K...Δ
Livingaze Illumination
Sat 5 Dec, Sun 6 Dec, Mon 7 Dec, Tue 8 Dec · Parc de la Tête d'or
Monumental luminous eyes by Hermes Mangialardo in the Parc de la Tête d'or.
Map · Source: Fête des Lumières
Sunflowers for Vincent van Gogh Illumination
Sat 5 Dec, Sun 6 Dec, Mon 7 Dec, Tue 8 Dec · Parc de la Tête d'or
Light installation by Hugo Vrijdag in the Parc de la Tête d'or.
Map · Source: Fête des Lumières
The Living Lamp Posts Illumination
5 to 8 Dec · Boulevard des Belges
Lamp-post light performance by Theatre Illumiere on Boulevard des Belges, four passages each evening.
Map · Source: Fête des Lumières
The Rose Garden of Birds Illumination
Sat 5 Dec, Sun 6 Dec, Mon 7 Dec, Tue 8 Dec · Parc de la Tête d'or
Light installation by Mourka in the rose garden of the Parc de la Tête d'or.
Map · Source: Fête des Lumières · La roseraie aux oiseaux
Whispering Mountains Illumination
Sat 5 Dec, Sun 6 Dec, Mon 7 Dec, Tue 8 Dec · Parc de la Tête d'or
Light installation by Nimrod Weis, with ENESS, in the Parc de la Tête d'or.
Map · Source: Fête des Lumières

Show 4 events nearby, outside Parc de la Tête d'Or

Place Wilson market Market
Wednesday and Friday. Next: Fri 13 Nov · Place Wilson, Villeurbanne
A market with food and other stalls at Place Wilson in Villeurbanne, running Wednesday and Friday, as listed in the Métropole de Lyon's open data on market sites.
Free entry · Map · Source: Métropole de Lyon (open data, Licence Ouverte 2.0) · Marché Place Wilson
Rue Boileau et Rue Mongolfier market Market
Friday. Next: Fri 13 Nov · Rue Boileau et Rue Mongolfier, Lyon 6e
A market with food and other stalls at Rue Boileau et Rue Mongolfier in Lyon 6e, running Friday, as listed in the Métropole de Lyon's open data on market sites.
Free entry · Map · Source: Métropole de Lyon (open data, Licence Ouverte 2.0) · Marché Rue Boileau et Rue Mongolfier
Place Wilson Dimanche market Market
Sunday. Next: Sun 15 Nov · Place Wilson Dimanche, Villeurbanne
A market with food and other stalls at Place Wilson Dimanche in Villeurbanne, running Sunday, as listed in the Métropole de Lyon's open data on market sites.
Free entry · Map · Source: Métropole de Lyon (open data, Licence Ouverte 2.0) · Marché Place Wilson Dimanche
Avenue Roberto Rossellini market Market
Monday. Next: Mon 16 Nov · Avenue Roberto Rossellini, Villeurbanne
A food market at Avenue Roberto Rossellini in Villeurbanne, running Monday, as listed in the Métropole de Lyon's open data on market sites.
Free entry · Map · Source: Métropole de Lyon (open data, Licence Ouverte 2.0) · Marché Avenue Roberto Rossellini

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Stay in Parc de la Tête d'Or

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