7th Arrondissement (district) of Lyon
Universities and trendy cafés make up this growing section of town.
9th Arrondissement (district) of Lyon
The 9th arrondissement, residential with a touch of history
Lyon 9 is located in the Northwest of the city, one of the outermost districts before Lyon’s suburbs. It is a residential area full of low rent prices and nice views.
The 9th arrondissement of Lyon is a primarily residential neighborhood popular for low rent prices and nice views over the Saône river and the back of Fourvière.
Much of the 9th arrondissement provides nice views of the back of Fourvière on the way into the city center. © Jenna Careri
Detached from the 5th district in 1964, the quarters of Lyon 9 have a history that stretches back even to prehistoric times. With Place Valmy as the intersection of two major national roads for years, the 9th has a reputation for easy access to and from the city, while providing an escape for families and people looking to get away from the hustle.
Served by the metro D line and home to two local train stations, Lyon 9 is easily accessible and within a short distance of the city center, by metro, bus, bike, or on foot, along the picturesque Saône riverside.
Where is Lyon 9?
The ninth arrondissement of Lyon is located in the Northwest of the city, above the 5th arrondissement and next to the 4th arrondissement on the Croix-Rousse hill and Caluire-et-Cuire behind it.
It is bordered to the west by suburbs of Lyon, including Écully and Champagne-, Saint-Didier-, and Saint-Cyr-au-Mont-d’Or. It follows the western side of the Saône river just past Île Barbe, where Saint-Cyr-au-Mont-d’Or begins.
Ile Barbe is one of the main attractions of Lyon 9, with its ancient buildings and former monastery. © Fred Crouzet
The 9th arrondissement is served by the metro line D, at Gorge de Loup, Valmy, and Gare de Vaise. Gorge de Loup and Gare de Vaise are also SNCF stations, popular for bus lines and trains to local destinations. The area is also served by numerous bus lines, including the main C6 and C14 routes. Bike lanes run all the way up the riverside from the center of the city, making it safe and easy to travel on two wheels.
Lyon 9 is also an easy way to get out of the city in the direction of the Monts du Lyonnais or Paris, with quick access to the A6.
History of the 9th arrondissement
The 9th district was created from the growing 5th district in August of 1964. It is composed of many quarters annexed to Lyon at different points, with Vaise at first being integrated into Lyon 5 while Rochecardon and la Dargoire among other quarters were attached to the commune of Saint-Rambert-l’île Barbe.
Saint-Rambert-l’île Barbe was later added in with Vaise and the other quarters detached from the 5th to create the 9th.
The Théâtre Nouvelle Génération in Vaise is one half of Lyon’s “Centre dramatique national.” © Jenna Careri
Vaise is one of the oldest parts of Lyon, inhabited since prehistoric times. Later in its history, Place Valmy just below the train station served as a major crossroads for travelers from Paris to the South and vice versa. It was the meeting point for national routes 6 and 7, before the construction of the A6 and A7 in the 1970s.
Lyon 9 also includes the well-known island, Ile Barbe. Ile Barbe sits in the middle of the Saône river and is home to a former abbey founded in the 5th century. It was the first monastery in the region and has a storied history including hidden treasures, murderous washerwomen, and the Holy Grail.
Where to live in Lyon 9
Lyon 9 is a large district that is mostly residential and includes plenty of neighborhoods for apartments and houses alike. It is also one of the less expensive parts of the city, averaging €3200 per square meter for apartments and €3650 for houses.
Vaise is one of the oldest neighborhoods and includes the SNCF train station and place Valmy. Gorge de Loup, meanwhile, is a formerly-industrial area that sits below Vaise and borders the 5th arrondissement. Both areas are known for cheap rent prices on apartments and therefore popular with students and young professionals.
Champvert sits next to Gorge de Loup and is a neighborhood split by Lyon 9 and Lyon 5, along Avenue Barthélemy Buyer. Champvert-Nord is the section in the 9th district.
La Duchère to the Northwest of Vaise includes the Parc du Vallon and was a mostly agricultural area first urbanized in the 1960s. Above La Duchère are Rochecardon and Saint-Rambert-L’île Barbe, rounding out the top of Lyon 9.
What to see in Lyon 9
The 9th arrondissement is a primarily residential area, with few important monuments or museums. It does however include the Musée des Pompiers at La Duchère, which includes a collection of 160 vehicles and over 3000 pieces of firefighting equipment.
There are also a fair amount of green spaces, with the Parc du Vallon in La Duchère near the border of Écully, and Ile Barbe to the North. Ile Barbe and its ancient buildings are perfect for an afternoon outside the city, exploring the Roman church or the island’s small park.
Groups can also arrange a visit to the Fort de Vaise, a former military fort overlooking the Saône from atop a hill.
The Conservatoire national supérieur musique et danse de Lyon in the 9th arrondissement trains students for professional careers in the performing arts. © Jenna Careri
What to do in Lyon 9
The main commercial areas of the district are the Grande Rue de Vaise, Place Valmy, and Place de Paris. There’s a large food market at Place de Paris on Sunday and Wednesday mornings, and one at Valmy on Tuesdays.
Lyon 9 is also home to the Conservatoire national supérieur musique et danse de Lyon (CNSMDL) and the Théâtre Nouvelle Génération (TNG). The TNG is one half of Lyon’s ”centre dramatique national” which also includes the Ateliers-Presqu’île in Lyon 2.
Up the river near Rochecardon, meanwhile, is the impressive Pathé Vaise cinema and the Brasserie l’Ouest, one of Paul Bocuse’s traditional brasseries.
