Lyon Shelves Riverfront Revamp as Museum des Confluences Costs Hit €328 million

The Métropole de Lyon officially cancelled the river‑front redevelopment of the Rhône’s right bank after the March 27 election of Véronique Sarselli as metropolitan president. Mayor Gregory Doucet denounced the decision as an abandonment without alternatives, while Sarselli argued the plan would have removed five of eight traffic lanes and 700 parking spaces.

A separate 15‑year renovation of the seven Perrache trémies began on 28 July, starting with trémie 1 and including asbestos removal and upgrades to structure, lighting and fire‑protection systems, with traffic adjustments expected during the works.

The region also recorded a severe heatwave impact: 2 091 total deaths in Auvergne‑Rhône‑Alpes, of which 214 were classified as excess mortality, an 11.4 % rise over the average.

Meanwhile, the Museum des Confluences, initially projected at €61 million in 1999, ended up costing €306.98 million officially – up to €328 million when land and ancillary works are included – a budget increase of more than 400 % after a 13‑year construction period.