What to see in Lyon?

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Landmark

Primatiale Saint-Nizier

Flamboyant Gothic church at the heart of the peninsula, spiritual refuge of Lyonnais since the 5th century. Its two dissimilar towers and sculpted façade make it an endearing and discreet monument.

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Landmark

Institut Lumière

Family villa of the Lumière brothers, inventors of cinema, transformed into a museum in the Monplaisir district. The hangar where the first film in history was shot still stands.

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Landmark

Hôtel-Dieu of Lyon

A former grand royal hospital from the 17th century converted into a cultural and hotel space. Its grand dome and classical interior courtyard are an architectural jewel often overlooked by hurried visitors.

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Landmark

Ancient Theatre of Fourvière

Roman theatre from the 1st century BC carved into a hillside, still used for the Nuits de Fourvière each summer. One of the best-preserved in France.

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Landmark

Bellecour Square

One of Europe's largest pedestrian squares, the beating heart of Lyon since the 17th century. The equestrian statue of Louis XIV stands at the centre of a striking mineral space.

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Landmark

Place des Terreaux

Historic heart of the peninsula with the Bartholdi fountain (by the same sculptor as the Statue of Liberty) and the Town Hall. Interactive water jets on the ground make it a lively gathering place.

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Museum

Musée des Confluences

Anthropology and natural sciences museum at the confluence of the Rhône and Saône rivers. Its deconstructivist architecture by Coop Himmelb(l)au is as spectacular as its collections.

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Museum

Fine Arts Museum of Lyon

One of France's largest museums outside Paris, housed in a 17th-century Baroque convent. Collections of Antiquity, European painting and modern art of unsuspected richness.

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Museum

Musée Gadagne

Double museum housed in Lyon's largest Renaissance palace: the city's history and the Museum of Puppets from around the world, the birthplace of Guignol. Essential for understanding the Lyonnaise spirit.

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Religious site

Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourvière

The praying hill, overlooking Lyon since 1896. Breathtaking view over the city and the Alps on clear days. Interior adorned with Byzantine mosaics of rare richness.

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Religious site

Cathedral of Saint-Jean-Baptiste, Lyon

A Gothic masterpiece in Old Lyon, its construction spanning three centuries. The 14th-century astronomical clock still chimes at noon.

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Nature

Île Barbe

Small island on the Saône north of Lyon, inhabited since Antiquity, with a ruined medieval abbey and a timeless atmosphere. Accessible on foot from Caluire.

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Nature

Rhône Riverbanks

Exemplary development of 5 km of pedestrian and cycle paths between Guillotière and Gerland. Bar terraces, pétanque courts and lawns where Lyonnaise gather as soon as the weather improves.

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Park

Parc de la Tête d'Or

Lyon's green lung: 117 hectares with a lake, free zoo, international rose garden and tropical greenhouses. A Sunday morning destination for locals, far from tourism.

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Park

Parc de Gerland

Vast park south of the peninsula, designed by Michel Corajoud, ideal for running, picnicking or observing the Rhône riverbanks. Frequented by residents of the 7th arrondissement, not tourists.

Park

Heights Park and Crêtes Path

Wooded trail connecting Fourvière to Saint-Just on the western hillside, with discreet viewpoints over Lyon and the Alps. The best-kept secret for escaping the crowds.

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Viewpoint

Fourvière Esplanade

Terrace facing the basilica offering the classic panorama of Lyon: the peninsula, the two rivers and, on clear days, Mont-Blanc. Magical at sunset.

Viewpoint

Croix-Rousse Viewpoint

Planted terrace at the summit of the canuts hill, with unobstructed views over the peninsula and the Rhône. The favoured vantage point of the plateau's residents.

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Restaurant

Bonnie's Pizza

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Activity

Fresco of the Lyonnaise

Monumental trompe-l'œil of 800 m² depicting 30 prominent Lyonnaise personalities from history. A street art work ahead of its time, painted in 1994 and still striking.

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Activity

Traboules of Old Town

Covered passages crossing through Renaissance buildings from Saint-Jean to Saint-Paul. Used by silk workers and the Resistance, they reveal secret and preserved interior architecture.

Activity

Maison des Canuts

Living museum of Lyon's silk industry in the Croix-Rousse neighbourhood, with demonstrations on Jacquard looms. Essential for understanding why Lyon was the world capital of silk.

Activity

Saint-Antoine Market

Daily market on the Saône quays, between Bellecour and the Célestins. Regional producers, local cheeses and lively atmosphere facing the coloured facades of the Old Town.

Place

Croix-Rousse Plateau

The working hilltop: former stronghold of silk weavers, now a bohemian-popular neighbourhood with designer workshops, independent cafés and market. The other Lyon, that of its residents.

Place

Saint-Georges Quarter

Medieval and Renaissance neighbourhood on the banks of the Saône, less crowded than Saint-Jean but equally authentic. Cobbled alleyways, machicolated facades and local bouchons restaurants.