Surely Vaulx-en-Velin has a story to tell like no other. Vaulx-en-Velin is a French commune. It is located in the Lyon Metropolis within the Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes region. This eastern French suburb is the third-largest city of Lyon. It sits northeast of Lyon. The Rhone river runs through it.
Vaulx-en-Velin is called home by Vaudais residents. The city’s location is on the Rhone’s left bank. It is about 7.6 km northeast of Lyon’s heart. Vaulx-en-Velin is part of Lyon’s eastern suburbs.
Water defines Vaulx-en-Velin. The Miribel canal borders it to the north. The Vieux Rhone and Eaux Bleues lake are to the north and northeast. The Jonage canal and the Rize river cut through the area to the south and west. They separate Vaulx-en-Velin from Villeurbanne and Decines-Charpieu.
The Rhone shaped Vaulx-en-Velin’s story. The river used to split into braids. Floods often changed the river’s course. This led to disputes between riverside towns over land. Flooding and fog made life hard. Crops failed and diseases spread because of the unhealthy marshes.
People tried to control the Rhone for ages. It was not until the 1800s that they managed to tame the river.
The Miribel canal was built from 1850 to 1860. It had two goals. It was designed to control Rhone floods using levees. It also made navigation easier.
The Jonage canal was dug in 1894. The Rhone Forces Motrices company undertook the project. Its goals were to control floods using the Grand Large reservoir. The canal also fed the Cusset hydroelectric plant. The Jonage canal opened in 1897. It splits Vaulx-en-Velin into northern and southern parts. Four bridges cross the canal in Vaulx-en-Velin. The Sucrerie and Soie bridges link the northern and southern areas. The Cusset and Croix-Luizet bridges connect to Villeurbanne.
The Grand Parc Miribel-Jonage opened in 1968. It provides leisure on 3000 hectares of lakes and wetlands. It sits between the Miribel and Jonage canals. The Eaux Bleues lake is in the northeast of Vaulx-en-Velin.
Vaulx-en-Velin is twinned with several cities. These include Bohlen Germany since 1974 and Orsha Belarus since 1975. Others are Sebaco Nicaragua since 1987 and Montedoro Italy since 1988. Artik Armenia since 1999 Chlef Algeria since 2006 and Beit Sahour Palestine since 2008. Ponte da Barca Portugal joined in 2019.
Vaulx-en-Velin had 14133 main residences in 2008. There were also 1261 empty homes. Houses made up 21.9% of the homes. This was higher than in 1999 but less than in the Rhone area. 8.5% of homes were built before 1949. 51% were built between 1949 and 1974. 40.5% were built after 1975. Social housing makes up 66.6% of homes exceeding the 20% minimum set by law.
Vaulx-en-Velin’s population continues to increase. Half are under 30 making it a young city. It is known for sports and community groups. The Grand Parc and Jonage canal enhance its natural appeal. The TASE factory Cusset dam and old village reflect its industrial history. The village features shops a castle and a medieval church. Vaulx-en-Velin blends the past and the future. It offers a rich mix of experiences. It stands as a testament to the strength of its people.