Minimum altitude: 166 meters
Distance: 33.4 km
Slope Aspect: Various
Vertical Climbed: 96 meters (315 feet)
Vertical Descended: 108 meters
Rating: 2
I went out for a gravel ride from central Lyon towards the Parc de Miribel-Jonage. I followed the right bank of the Rhône, riding out past Saint-Clair towards Miribel. The air was cold and the morning still misty, and before long I was wishing I had worn a hat that covered my ears. It was one of those rides where the chill lingers longer than expected, even once the legs have warmed up.
After crossing the river at Miribel, I picked up a singletrack through the woods. It twisted and dipped its way along, with a steady sequence of little ups and downs, lefts and rights, the ground slightly muddy in places but still good to ride. Eventually it brought me out onto the gravel tracks near the level of the autoroute, where the route opened up again.
The pontoon bridge over the lake was open when I arrived, so I stopped for a moment to take a photo. From there I continued on towards the Réservoir du Grand Large, then followed the towpath along the right bank all the way back towards Salengro. The finish was a pleasing one, crossing the impressive new bridge over the river, which links neatly into the left bank route and on towards the Parc de la Tête d’Or.
It was the kind of ride Lyon does especially well: half urban escape, half waterside ramble, with just enough mud, mist and woodland trail to make it feel like a small adventure.
Chilly and Foggy, some puddles but not too damp on the ground despite the recent rain.
