About this place
Grand Parc de Miribel-Jonage is a large urban park on the outskirts of Lyon, covering almost 2,200 hectares. It occupies most of the Island of Miribel-Jonage on the Rhône, making it one of the biggest green spaces in the Lyon metropolitan area.
Where is the park located?
The park lies east of central Lyon, spreading across the municipality of Meyzieu and neighbouring communes. Its approximate coordinates are 45.80583°N, 4.93639°E. The park takes up nearly the entire surface of an island formed by a canal system on the Rhône.
How did the island the park sits on come to exist?
The Island of Miribel-Jonage is not a natural feature in its current form — it was created in the 19th century through hydraulic engineering works. Two canals were dug at the time: the Miribel canal and the Jonage canal. Their purpose was to control the unpredictable behaviour of the Rhône and reduce the impact of flooding that regularly threatened the low-lying land along the river. These works effectively separated a stretch of land with water, forming the island on which today's park later developed.
How large is Grand Parc de Miribel-Jonage?
The park spans nearly 2,200 hectares, placing it among the larger green areas in the Lyon region. This scale means the park covers a varied landscape shaped by the presence of the Rhône and the two canals — ranging from open land to areas running directly alongside the waterways.
Why were the Miribel and Jonage canals built?
The main goal of the 19th-century works was to bring the Rhône's flooding under control. Before this stretch of the river was regulated, it caused floods that made it difficult to develop the surrounding land. Digging the Miribel and Jonage canals split the river's flow and directed part of the water in a controlled way, cutting the risk of flooding for nearby areas. A by-product of this engineering intervention was the creation of the island now mostly occupied by the park.
What is the park like today?
Grand Parc de Miribel-Jonage today functions as a large green space on the edge of Lyon, covering nearly the whole surface of the historic island. Its position on an island shaped by canals means that water — both the Rhône itself and the Miribel and Jonage canals — remains a constant feature of the landscape here.
Frequently asked questions
How big is Grand Parc de Miribel-Jonage? The park covers almost 2,200 hectares.
Where exactly is the park located? On the outskirts of Lyon, on the Island of Miribel-Jonage on the Rhône, near coordinates 45.80583°N, 4.93639°E.
How did the island the park sits on come to exist? It was created in the 19th century when the Miribel and Jonage canals were dug to control flooding of the Rhône.
Which river runs near the park? The Rhône, together with the Miribel and Jonage canals branching off it, which shaped the island the park occupies.
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