Whispers of history linger in Bois de la Caille. This urban park in Caluire-et-Cuire near Lyon’s 4th arrondissement is more than just trees and paths. It’s a place where stories unfold. The Bois de la Caille sits on a sloped area a balme in Lyonnaise dialect separating the Croix-Rousse and Cuire-le-Haut plateaus from Cuire-le-Bas near the Saône River.
Its name isn’t about quails as some believe. The Bois de la Caille takes its name from the Caille or de la Caille family. They owned a large estate nearby in the 16th century. Parish records from Cuire even mention weddings celebrated in the estate’s chapel. A fortified house once stood at the foot of the balme. An establishment for hydrotherapy was even located there in the 19th century.
The estate changed hands many times. A family of Lyon silk merchants the Collons acquired it. Their descendants later sold it to the Rhone department’s public development and construction office OPAC. The large house and its outbuildings a villa a farm and a chapel were demolished. The OPAC planned to develop the 65 hectares into a park. They also wanted to build small housing and office units. This plan however was abandoned in 1991.
For almost six years the former estate remained abandoned. In 1997 the land was divided. Four buildable plots totaling 25 hectares were sold to SCI Colchique. A residential complex Le Bois des Sources was built there. This was completed in the early 2000s. In 2012 the city of Caluire-et-Cuire received the Bois de la Caille from the OPAC for a symbolic euro.
After an extensive renovation project the Bois de la Caille opened to the public in February 2020. Today it features a 400-meter educational trail. Eight wooden totems offer information on the area’s biodiversity. QR codes provide interactive information via smartphone. Two-thirds of the Bois de la Caille is a protected biological reserve off-limits to visitors. The park allows pedestrians to connect the northern end of the Croix-Rousse plateau with Cuire-le-Bas.
So here you stand at the entrance to Bois de la Caille. Imagine the lives lived here centuries ago. The families who built their homes here. The quiet of the forest that was broken by the construction of the residential complex. Then imagine the recent rebirth of this place. Today this peaceful park offers a welcome respite and a reminder of Lyon’s rich past. Take a moment to breathe. Feel the history under your feet. Enjoy your walk through Bois de la Caille.