The transformation of urban-river spaces as a geographical analysis topic: Lyon, the Rhone and the Saone as a case study

Abstract

The relationship between rivers and cities is the result of the human-nature interaction. The advantages of living near a river, mainly commercial, economic and productive, faced several historical adverse circumstances, such as the risk of flooding or the barrier effect of the riverbanks. Thus, each city, town or inhabited cluster has approached this set of pros and cons in a unique way. The aim of this paper is to study the relationship between Lyon and its two rivers (the Rhone and the Saone) from two complementary analysis: a first one dedicated to geohistoric aspects from the birth of the city to modernity, and a second one focused on the synthesis of recent urban planning that has ultimately guided the transformation of the Rhone riverbanks into new green and leisure spaces.

Keywords: City-river relationship, urban-river spaces, water uses, river management and planning, Lyon.