Jardin des Chartreux, Park in the 1st arrondissement of Lyon, France
The Jardin des Chartreux is a park in Lyon's 1st arrondissement, set on the slopes of the Croix-Rousse hill. Its paths follow the natural slope, winding between trees and statues up to a higher terrace that looks out over the Saône River and the hills beyond.
The land once belonged to a community of Carthusian monks who settled in the area in the 16th century. In 1855, it was turned into a public park to give people in the city center access to green space.
The pavilion inside the park is dedicated to Ahmadou Kourouma, an Ivorian writer who died in Lyon. Several statues scattered along the paths pay tribute to local figures who shaped the city's artistic life.
The park sits in the heart of the 1st arrondissement and is easy to reach on foot from the Hôtel de Ville Louis Pradel metro station. The paths are steep in places and can be slippery when wet, so sturdy shoes make the walk more comfortable.
The pavilion was built in 1860 and since 2010 has been dedicated to Ahmadou Kourouma, an Ivorian writer who died in Lyon and remains little known outside literary circles. This makes the park one of the few green spaces in Lyon to honor an African author.
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