Part-Dieu Tower (Le Crayon)
On Gingerguide's self-guided Lyon audio tour, Part-Dieu Tower (Le Crayon) is a stop worth about ~30 min. Stand in front of it, press play for a short narrated story, and put any follow-up question to the built-in AI guide.
- Type landmark
- Suggested visit ~30 min
- Lyon Lyon guide
About Part-Dieu Tower (Le Crayon)
Lyon's iconic 1977 skyscraper nicknamed "Le Crayon" (the pencil), standing 165 metres tall in the Part-Dieu business district, it defines the modern Lyon skyline and marks the city's 20th-century ambition.
The Tour Part-Dieu, universally known as "Le Crayon" for its cylindrical shape with a pointed top, which resembles a sharpened pencil, was completed in 1977 and stood for many years as the tallest building in France outside Paris. At 165 metres and 42 floors, it remains the centrepiece of Lyon's Part-Dieu business district, which was developed from the 1970s onward as a purpose-built commercial centre on the east bank of the Rhône, Lyon's answer to Paris's La Défense. The tower was designed by architects Araldo Cossutta and Alix Denyau and served originally as the headquarters of the Crédit Lyonnais bank, which was founded in Lyon in 1863 and was at the time one of the largest banks in Europe. Today the Part-Dieu district contains Lyon's main railway station (the Gare de Lyon Part-Dieu, which serves TGV high-speed trains to Paris, Marseille, Geneva, and other cities), one of France's largest shopping centres, and extensive office development. A new supertall skyscraper project called "Silex²" has been proposed for the district, which would become the tallest building in France outside Paris.
Did you know? The Part-Dieu Tower was the tallest building in France outside Paris for many years after its completion in 1977, and the Crédit Lyonnais bank it was built for later became one of the most spectacular financial collapses in French banking history.
How much time do you need at Part-Dieu Tower (Le Crayon)?
Around ~30 min works well for Part-Dieu Tower (Le Crayon) — time to look properly and listen to its story on the spot. Linger if you like; nothing on a self-guided walk is on a clock.
Should you stop at Part-Dieu Tower (Le Crayon)?
Yes — Part-Dieu Tower (Le Crayon) made the cut as one of 25 places the Gingerguide team researched and narrated across Lyon. The story tells you why it is worth the stop, and the AI guide fills in anything you still wonder.
Nearby stops in Lyon
Hear the story of Part-Dieu Tower (Le Crayon)
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