In Villeurbanne, free sports sessions for the inhabitants of the district

For several years, the Office du Sport de Villeurbanne (OSV) has been organizing free weekly physical activity sessions. They are open to all, without registration and supervised by professionals. The objective of such a device is to make sporting activity accessible to all. Several times a week, a dozen people take part in walks or bike rides.

Practicing regular physical activity is a source of well-being, but it is also recommended to preserve your health. Laura Reboul, who participates in the “Form in my neighborhood” scheme, got into sport when she fell ill with cancer. It was her doctor who prescribed her exercise sessions. Now in remission, she continues to exercise regularly. “It has become a way of life, I no longer force myself. This activity makes me feel good, I feel the benefits every day“, she believes.

Walks in the countryside or in the city, these sports sessions are also an opportunity to discover your neighborhood a little better. “It serves to show that there are nice places in the area. There are really nice places that you don’t see at first sight“, explains Sylvain Kaci, sports educator at the town hall of Villeurbanne.

For some, these activities are real breaths of fresh air and allow them to meet people. Françoise Lianos, 81, is a regular, she takes part in the sessions as soon as she can. “I’m all alone in Lyon, I have children who are very far away and I’m a widow, so it’s important for me to have a circle of people I know who are friendly“, she says.