Presqu'île

The Presqu'île (pronounced [pʁɛskil] ⓘ; literally "almost an island" in French, meaning "peninsula")[1] is the central part of the City of Lyon, France.

Extending from the foot of the Croix-Rousse hill in the north to the confluence of the Rhône and the Saône rivers in the south, it has a preponderance of cafés, restaurants, luxury shops, department stores, banks, government buildings and cultural institutions.

The Place des Terreaux was created in the 17th century, owing to the construction of two prestigious structures: Nowadays, the Place des Terreaux hosts several restaurants and an impressive statue of a woman on a chariot; it is a common sightseeing destination within Lyon.

Jacques-Germain Soufflot expanded the hospital located near the old Rhône bridge, building the Hôtel-Dieu de Lyon along the banks of the river.

In the 2010s, works were underway to renovate the building, which now hosts a five-star InterContinental hotel, shops, offices, apartments and the new Cité de la gastronomie.