Lyon, Part-Dieu

Lyon, one of the most beautiful European cities, and probably the most underrated. The city enjoys an idyllic geographic setting, and for centuries those fortunate enough to inhabit it have tried to live up to nature gifting it with majestic works of architecture. This process continues to these days, and over the last years the city has gained some really beautiful pieces of modern architecture (from the whole neighbourhood of "Confluences" to the stylish "Incity" skyscrapper).

However, my initial impression when I first set foot in Lyon, back in 2014, was not so good. I reached the city by train stopping at La Part-Dieu station. At that time most of the French train stations that I knew were beautiful examples of classic, imposing constructions that bring you back more than 1 century in time (Paris Gare du Nord and Saint Lazare, Bordeaux St Jean, Toulouse Matabiau, Marseille Saint Charles...), so when I found myself in Lyon's main train station I felt deeply disappointed. A train station from the 70's lacking any remarkable element, and with its main entrance placed in a rather ugly square. As you walk away a few meters you come across the "Tour Oxygene" and the "Tour Part-Dieu", that while not particularly appealing to me, at least give you a first taste of modern architecture that is not so common in such a conservative (in urban terms) country as France (yes, sure you have amazing modern architecture in France, but the "average French" looks at modern constructions with such a senseless distaste...). A couple of years later the "Tour Incity" brought the city with full rights into the modern world (yes, I absolutely love this skyscrapper, even more than the Iberdrola Tower in Bilbao and at par with the Tour CMA-CGM in Marseille) and I also began to feel more and more at ease with the old office buildings that fill the area.

Anyway, the impression when you get to the station, has continued to be quite poor for such an amazing city. This said, when in my last stay in Lyon in early January I found out about the huge remodeling process that La Part-Dieu (not just the station, but the whole neighbourhood) is undergoing I felt pretty delighted. The ugly buildings that surround the main entrance to the station are going to be demolished, one of them being replaced by the Tour To-Lyon. The old EDF tower is being reconstructed and vertically expanded, metamorphosing into the Tour Silex 2 (I have to admit that the project is not too exciting, but it's one more step in the right direction). There are many more potential projects, and though many of them will not materialize, Lyon is the French city (along with Paris) with more chances to allow new innovative and modern architectural landmarks to emerge. The population here appears to have a more open attitude and seems to be aware that they live in a European big city and not in a little village, and the fucking "neighbours associations" so present everywhere in France (particularly in Toulouse) that try to stop any "urban action" (from new metro lines to buildings of more than 5 floors) don't seem to be so powerful and bothering. Also, Lyon (contrary to Toulouse, Rennes, Nantes...) is fortunate not to be infected by thousands of far-left antiprogress "militants" that boycott (physically and violently if necessary) any interesting urban project accusing it of being a "capitalist attack" perpetrated by the "elites" against the "people" and the environment...

You can learn more about what is being done and will be done in the area, just pay a visit here.