The BAMBOO team is located mainly on the Campus of la Doua in Villeurbanne. Villeurbanne is situated northeast of Lyon, with which it forms the heart of the second-largest metropolitan area in France after that of Paris.

Lyon is a most beautiful city dating from 43 BC. Its geography is dominated by the Rhône and Saône rivers that converge to the south of the historic city center forming a peninsula or "Presqu’île".

The original medieval city ("Vieux Lyon") was built on the west bank of the Saône river at the foot of the Fourvière hill, west of the Presqu’île. This area, along with portions of the Presqu’île and much of another area called the Croix-Rousse are recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.