In the context of the fight against the devastating effect of urban sprawl on the landscape, a convergence appears between the objectives of densification within the built environment and risk management for flood-prone areas. Novel relationships emerge between rivers and the urban territories they cross; a new city-river balance, understood as a set of resilient urban strategies in a framework of ecological transition. Undervalued sites to date have proved particularly suitable for the creation of new sustainable neighborhoods, especially when they are connected to public transport networks and have significant potential for urban regeneration. The Rhône, which is undergoing significant evolutions related to the management of its floods, is a river that is particularly emblematic of the multiple issues inherent in these processes of change.