Ville de Lyon Construction

At the end of the 1980s, Grand Lyon Habitat undertook one of the largest refurbishments of its social housing stock. The project was to take a decade to complete: the États-Unis district was renamed “La Cité Tony Garnier” with its 1,500 flats distributed in 45 buildings, totalling more than 4,000 tenants.

30 years afterwards, this ageing, poorly considered district has once again made its inhabitants proud to live there. Thousands of people come every year to visit it, and it has its own urban museum dedicated to helping them discover the murals. In a few years it has become a visual attraction high on the list of things to see in Greater Lyon.

This mural is depicting the history and people of Lyon. The lowest level is brightest and shows modern Lyon residents in the neighborhood.

As you look upwards, you see different timeframes depicted in different shades, with the people in old-fashioned clothes engaged in scenes relevant to that era.