A 1.7-kilometre promenade along the banks of the Saône, public art and paths through varied landscapes are characteristic of Fontaines-sur-Saône. For your stay, you can focus on a walk by the river, a longer circular hike or the town’s cultural attractions.
The Saône Riverbanks and Public Art
The riverside promenade was created as part of the Rives de Saône project. The Rives de Saône paths connect the town centre with the river via the Rives paths and Clos du Maquis. Along the riverbank, the footpath continues as far as the neighbouring municipality. This makes the promenade a shorter, river-focused outing to include in your plans, while the circular hike to Sathonay-Camp takes considerably longer.
Several artworks are located along the promenade. La Tour belvédère is a public work by Tadashi Kawamata; from there, you can take in the surrounding landscape. Le Gentil Garçon created Souvenir du monde inversé: a tree has fish-shaped weather vanes on its branches, taken from the last flood. For Les Cercles logiques, cast-aluminium stumps form a mysterious trail to explore. La Sucrerie, meanwhile, is a distinctive replica of the industrial landscape on the opposite bank of the Saône. Both Kawamata and Le Gentil Garçon contributed to the section of the Rives de Saône project in Fontaines-sur-Saône.
A Walk or a Circular Hike?
The 400-metre Chemin Nature is a walking path between the banks of the Saône and the agricultural land of neighbouring municipalities. The Métropole de Lyon has designated it an “Espace Naturel Sensible” (Sensitive Natural Area). Its short length and nature-area designation set this walk apart from the longer circular hike; they do not indicate the condition of the latter’s paths.
The circular hike De Fontaines-sur-Saône à Sathonay-Camp is 9.6 kilometres long, takes 2 hours and 50 minutes, and has an elevation gain of 151 metres. It passes through the Côtière of Fontaines-sur-Saône and the Vallon du Ravin. On the return, it follows the left bank of the Saône past Île Roy and its alluvial forest. These figures offer a concrete basis for comparing the time and distance with the 400-metre Chemin Nature, without implying a walking time for that path.
Landscapes and Nature Along the Route
The return leg of the circular hike passes through the wild forest of Île Roy. It is a habitat for the Eurasian beaver, the kingfisher and the wood pigeon. The route described therefore passes not only through the Côtière and Vallon du Ravin, but also includes a riverside and alluvial-forest section on the return. If you are particularly interested in landscapes and nature, these varied sections may be a reason to include the circular hike in your plans.
Church History and Local Events
The present-day Eglise Saint Louis Roi was built in 1835. A chapel dating from the 9th century has been preserved in the right side aisle. The fully renovated church is classified as “rustique flamboyant” in style and is reminiscent of churches in Savoy and Piedmont. These architectural details give a visit a historical and architectural dimension, distinct from the artworks along the Saône.
Recurring events may also be important when planning your dates: the Fontaines-sur-Saône Carnival takes place every year at the end of March and features numerous music and costumed groups. Village Fant’artistique is held every two years in spring and offers numerous street activities for children. If you would like to plan your trip around one of these events, check the specific dates in advance.
Planning Your Journey and Accommodation
Place Carnot is listed as the starting point for the circular hike. Pont de Fontaines stop is served by TCL lines 40, 70 and 77. Collonges-Fontaines station is also located near Fontaines-sur-Saône, in Collonges-au-Mont-d’Or. It has bicycle parking, individual bicycle lockers, Vélo’v, car parking, carpooling facilities and connections to the TCL network. As station facilities and connections may change, check the latest information before travelling.
If you are planning around an event, include its specific date in your plans as well.
Discover more destinations: Gleize, Vénissieux, Émeringes, Saint-André-La-Côte, Létra, Collonges-Au-Mont-D'or, Aigueperse, Chazay-D'azergues.
Go to the main travel overview: Rhône.
