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France · 45.7640°, 4.8357°

Lyon Map Poster: The Rhone-Saone Confluence

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Map poster of Lyon (France): streets, water and parks drawn from OpenStreetMap

Why this city works as a poster

Lyon is one of the few large cities whose shape comes from two rivers rather than one. The Rhone and the Saone run down in parallel before meeting in the south, enclosing a long narrow strip of land between them. That peninsula gives the poster a strong vertical axis few cities offer naturally.

Recommended framing

Frame vertically, about 8 km north to south, with the confluence in the lower third of the poster rather than at the centre. Centred, the meeting point of the two rivers loses its force; low, it closes the composition.

Which theme to pick

A theme where water is clearly differentiated from roads works better here than elsewhere, since water is the subject. Avoid monochrome themes, which would reduce both rivers to slightly wider streets.

Where to centre the map

Presqu'île
The strip between the two rivers, with a regular grid that cuts against the surrounding hills.
Vieux Lyon
Narrow streets at the foot of Fourviere: the linework becomes much finer, almost a texture.
Confluence
The southern tip. Framed alone at 2 km, it gives a very identifiable prow shape.

How its streets are oriented

Street orientation in Lyon: orientation order 0.13, mixed pattern0° (N) – 180° (S): 10.8% of street length10° (N) – 190° (S): 5.8% of street length20° (NNE) – 200° (SSW): 5.9% of street length30° (NNE) – 210° (SSW): 9.0% of street length40° (NE) – 220° (SW): 4.2% of street length50° (NE) – 230° (SW): 1.9% of street length60° (ENE) – 240° (WSW): 2.4% of street length70° (ENE) – 250° (WSW): 2.3% of street length80° (E) – 260° (W): 10.3% of street length90° (E) – 270° (W): 8.0% of street length100° (E) – 280° (W): 5.5% of street length110° (ESE) – 290° (WNW): 5.9% of street length120° (ESE) – 300° (WNW): 6.7% of street length130° (SE) – 310° (NW): 3.0% of street length140° (SE) – 320° (NW): 2.7% of street length150° (SSE) – 330° (NNW): 2.6% of street length160° (SSE) – 340° (NNW): 2.3% of street length170° (S) – 350° (N): 10.8% of street length180° (S) – 0° (N): 10.8% of street length190° (S) – 10° (N): 5.8% of street length200° (SSW) – 20° (NNE): 5.9% of street length210° (SSW) – 30° (NNE): 9.0% of street length220° (SW) – 40° (NE): 4.2% of street length230° (SW) – 50° (NE): 1.9% of street length240° (WSW) – 60° (ENE): 2.4% of street length250° (WSW) – 70° (ENE): 2.3% of street length260° (W) – 80° (E): 10.3% of street length270° (W) – 90° (E): 8.0% of street length280° (W) – 100° (E): 5.5% of street length290° (WNW) – 110° (ESE): 5.9% of street length300° (WNW) – 120° (ESE): 6.7% of street length310° (NW) – 130° (SE): 3.0% of street length320° (NW) – 140° (SE): 2.7% of street length330° (NNW) – 150° (SSE): 2.6% of street length340° (NNW) – 160° (SSE): 2.3% of street length350° (N) – 170° (S): 10.8% of street lengthNESW

Within 3 km of the centre, we measured the orientation of 467 km of streets. Its orientation order is 0.13 out of 1: Lyon ranks 18th of the 64 cities in the study and 4th of the 25 French cities.

A few directions dominate without forming a grid: the pattern mixes districts of different eras and plans.

See the full study: street orientation in 64 cities

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