Cycling & running events in Lyon, 2026

Lyon Training Notes

Running: Locals run the Rhône and Saône banks for easy Z2, intervals, and city views without leaving the centre. Parc de la Tête d'Or gives runners a clean loop feel, with Jardin botanique de Lyon right there and Parc de Gerland better for south-side miles. Courir à Lyon has an urban trail every Tuesday, and that run covers about 9km with 250m of climbing. Lyon Running Crew has a social run every Wednesday with three speed groups. Founders Running Club meets weekly at Quatorze on Saturdays at 10:00 AM CEST. SaintéLyon, Lyon urban trail by night, and Course des Lumières Lyon work as anchor races.

Cycling: Locals ride the banks first, because the city sits cleanly between the Rhône, the Saône, and the Presqu'île. Place Bellecour sends riders toward Confluence, the ViaRhôna, and longer base miles up to Parc de Miribel-Jonage and Miribel lake. The essentials itinerary covers 14km in about 50 minutes, and it keeps a moderate slope. The Contemporary and Renaissance Lyon itinerary runs 14km from Confluence to Vieux-Lyon. CTLYON has been around since 1925 and brings road, VTT, Gravel, and BMX Freestyle riders together. La Croix-Rousse holds the north climbs, Fourvière holds the west climbs, and Audax 200 Zig-Zag is the anchor raid.

Season: Summer suits Lyon best when you want shaded river banks and long rides with some coolness still in the legs. The banks of the Rhône feel very pleasant in summer, and locals keep using Parc de la Tête d'Or when the pace needs to stay easy. Riders can stretch toward Miribel lake, and the Lyon-to-Miribel day adds 51m up and 51m down. Winter months are the driest, so runners still get consistent city miles and trail nights. CTLYON keeps the bike calendar alive with Randonnées d’hiver in February, while ASICS SaintéLyon gives runners the late-year target.