Although Lyon is the third largest city in France it has very few parks and public gardens and of these few ‘Parc de la tete d’or’ is by far the most popular and is situated on the banks of the River Rhone. This beautiful park, situated very close to the centre of Lyon is in fact the largest urban park in France and is so named because of an age-old legend that says the golden head of Jesus Christ is buried here. The park is adorned with large rose-gardens, greenhouses filled with many exotic plant species as well as many bronze statues and sculptures, including Courtet’s mythological ‘Centaur and the Faun’. The 16 hectare lake in the centre of the park is home to many different species of bird and is host to boating during the summer months. There are also many other sporting facilities within the park, including a mini-golf course, horse-riding, a boules court and a miniature train, which is a big hit with children, as well as two large restaurants. There are 4 roseries, a botanical garden, an orangery and many greenhouses, including a Dutch greenhouse with a large collection of carnivorous plants. At the northern end of the park there is a large zoo covering 8 hectares, this is also absolutely free and holds over 500 mammals, birds and reptiles and the ‘Plaine Africaine’ opened in Autumn 2006. There are seven entrances to the park, the most famous of which is the ‘Porte des enfants du Rhone’ which is an 18th century style cast iron gate with gold leaf ornamentation and gives fantastic views across much of the park. The Parc de la tete d’or is especially popular with families and runners.

Written by  Vikkie Chapman.

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