Île du Souvenir

On your right is the entrance to the Lac Tunnel, an underground passage that will take you to one of the most discreet places in Tête d’Or Park. When you come out on the other side, you’ll find yourself on the Île du Souvenir. Located in the middle of the lake, it is also known as Swan Island, but its main purpose is as a place of remembrance. After World War I, the City of Lyon decided to create a monument here dedicated to Lyon residents who died in combat. The project was entrusted to architect Tony Garnier, and the memorial was inaugurated in 1930. On the island, the names of more than 10,000 Lyon soldiers are engraved in stone, giving the monument a deeply personal and human dimension. Here, the landscape, the water, and the silence reinforce the atmosphere of the site: a place of reflection at the heart of a park usually devoted to walks and leisure. I’ll let you make your way through the tunnel to discover the island and its memorial.