INTERACTIVE MAP
Click on the icon 
in the top-right corner to view the map in full screen.
Show/Hide layers as needed.
After clicking on the image,
click on the icon 
in the top-left corner to display the map legend.
Show/Hide layers as needed.
STROLLS
Overview Table
| Name | Appeal | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Vieux-Lyon | ✦✦✦✦✦ | Neighborhood |
| Presqu'Île | ✦✦✦✦✦ | Neighborhood |
| Croix Rousse | ✦✦✦✦✧ | Neighborhood |
| Traboules | ✦✦✦✧✧ | Alleyways |
| Saône River | ✦✦✧✧✧ | River Bank |
| Rhône River | ✦✦✦✧✧ | River Bank |
| Confluence | ✦✦✧✧✧ | Neighborhood |
Vieux-Lyon
In Video Yes
Appeal ✦✦✦✦✦
Type Neighborhood
Full Name
Vieux-Lyon
Old Lyon is famous for its exceptional Renaissance heritage and its well preserved historic atmosphere. This old district, located between the Saône River and the city’s first hills, is filled with cobbled streets, colorful façades and beautiful inner courtyards that reflect Lyon’s rich past.
Rue Saint Jean, Rue du Bœuf and Rue Saint Georges are at the heart of the neighborhood’s lively atmosphere. You’ll find traditional restaurants, cafés, artisan shops and many remarkably preserved historic buildings. Together, they create a vibrant and authentic setting that is especially enjoyable to explore on foot.
Popular with both visitors and locals, Old Lyon remains one of the city’s most iconic districts. Its architecture, warm atmosphere and history make it an essential stop for discovering Lyon’s identity.
Presqu'Île
In Video Yes
Appeal ✦✦✦✦✦
Type Neighborhood
Full Name
Presqu’Île
The Presqu’île is Lyon’s lively city center, set between the Rhône and the Saône. This large district brings together the city’s main squares, major shopping streets, many monuments and a rich cultural scene. It is easy to explore on foot, moving from elegant squares to busy riverbanks, from historic shops to contemporary restaurants.
Place Bellecour is the central point of the area. Huge and open, it offers a beautiful view toward Fourvière and Old Lyon. Nearby, the shopping streets attract both locals and visitors, while Place des Jacobins, Place des Cordeliers and Place des Terreaux give the district its elegant feel. Place des Terreaux is home to the City Hall, the Opera House and a famous monumental fountain.
The Presqu’île also shows several sides of Lyon. Architecture lovers can enjoy Haussmann style buildings, inner courtyards and wide views over the rivers. Food lovers will find plenty of well known brasseries, bouchons and pastry shops. The district is also a great starting point for reaching Old Lyon, the Rhône riverbanks or the slopes of Croix Rousse.
Very lively in the evening, the area is full of bars, cafés and performance venues. With its history, shopping and urban atmosphere, the Presqu’île perfectly reflects Lyon’s energy.
Croix-Rousse
In Video Yes
Appeal ✦✦✦✦✧
Type Neighborhood
Full Name
Croix-Rousse
Croix Rousse has a very distinct identity within Lyon. Once the district of the canuts, the famous silk workers, it has kept a popular and creative atmosphere that contrasts with the more classic elegance of the Presqu’île. Its tall buildings with large windows recall the historic importance of the weaving workshops.
The area is split between the slopes and the plateau. The slopes of Croix Rousse are full of passageways, staircases and traboules, while the plateau has a calmer neighborhood feel, with markets, terraces and small local squares. Boulevard de la Croix Rousse and its market are especially popular with locals.
Today, Croix Rousse attracts visitors as much for its heritage as for its independent, artistic and friendly spirit.
Traboules
In Video Yes
Appeal ✦✦✦✧✧
Type Alleways
Full Name
Traboules
Traboules are among Lyon’s most famous curiosities. These passageways cut through buildings, discreetly connecting one street to another through inner courtyards, galleries and sometimes impressive staircases. They are mainly found in Old Lyon and on the slopes of Croix Rousse.
Originally, they made it easier for residents and silk workers to move around. Some also allowed people to reach the riverbanks or workshops quickly while staying sheltered from bad weather. Many are still hidden behind heavy old doors today, which makes discovering them feel almost secret.
In Old Lyon, the traboules run through beautiful Renaissance buildings with elegant courtyards. In Croix Rousse, they are more closely tied to the industrial and working class history of the canuts. Exploring these passages is one of the most typical experiences during a visit to Lyon.
Saône River
In Video Yes
Appeal ✦✦✧✧✧
Type River Bank
Full Name
Berges de la Saône
Between old façades, redesigned quays and views over Old Lyon, the Saône riverbanks offer a calmer atmosphere than the large avenues of the city center. Walking along the river, you gradually discover a different side of the city.
Rhône River
In Video Yes
Appeal ✦✦✦✧✧
Type River Bank
Full Name
Berges du Rhône
The Rhône riverbanks are one of Lyon’s main outdoor relaxation spots. Very popular with locals, they welcome walkers, cyclists and students in a lively atmosphere. The developed quays mix green spaces, barges and friendly areas facing the river.
Confluence
In Video Yes
Appeal ✦✦✧✧✧
Type Neighborhood
Full Name
Confluence
The Confluence district represents contemporary Lyon. Located south of the Presqu’île, where the Rhône meets the Saône, this area was long an industrial zone made up of ports, warehouses, slaughterhouses and even prisons. After these activities declined in the 20th century, a huge urban project transformed the district.
Today, Confluence attracts fans of modern architecture and contemporary urban planning. Former docks now stand alongside bold buildings, original shapes and large redesigned spaces along the quays. The area also has shops, hotels, bars, restaurants and modern companies.
A walk along Quai Rambaud shows this spectacular transformation all the way to the exact meeting point of the two rivers. The Musée des Confluences, with its futuristic architecture, is one of the symbols of the district and of Lyon’s new face.
FOOD MARKETS
Overview Table
| Name | Appeal | Opening | Setting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Halles Bocuse | ✦✦✦✧✧ | Every Day | Indoor |
| St-Antoine Célestins | ✦✦✦✧✧ | Tue to Sun a.m. | Outdoor |
| Croix-Rousse | ✦✦✦✧✧ | Tue to Sun a.m. | Outdoor |
Halles Bocuse
In Video Yes
Appeal ✦✦✦✧✧
Opening Every Day
Setting Indoor
Full Name
Halles Paul Bocuse
A true temple of Lyon’s gastronomy, the Halles Paul Bocuse bring together cheese makers, delicatessens, pastry chefs, fishmongers and famous food counters, making it an essential stop to experience the best of local cuisine.
St-Antoine Célestins
In Video Yes
Appeal ✦✦✦✧✧
Opening Tuesday to Sunday mornings
Setting Outdoor
Full Name
Marché Saint-Antoine Célestins
Set along the Saône River, facing Old Lyon, this large food market offers fruit, cheese, meat, fish, bread, wine and flowers from Tuesday to Sunday mornings.
Croix-Rousse
In Video Yes
Appeal ✦✦✦✧✧
Opening Tuesday to Sunday mornings
Setting Outdoor
Full Name
Marché de la Croix-Rousse
Located on Boulevard de la Croix-Rousse, this neighborhood market is loved for its village like atmosphere and fresh produce stalls.
OTHER MARKETS
Overview Table
| Name | Appeal | Type | Opening | Setting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Puces du Canal | ✦✦✧✧✧ | Flea | Thu‚ Sat‚ Sun a.m. | Outdoor |
| Bouquinistes | ✦✧✧✧✧ | Book | Weekends | Outdoor |
| Création | ✦✧✧✧✧ | Craft | Sun a.m. | Outdoor |
Puces du Canal
In Video No
Appeal ✦✦✧✧✧
Type Flea
Opening Thursdays, Saturdays, Sundays mornings
Setting Outdoor
Full Name
Puces du Canal
On the outskirts of Lyon, in Villeurbanne, Puces du Canal is a whole village dedicated to flea markets and antiques, perfect for vintage furniture, unusual objects and retro finds.
Bouquinistes
In Video No
Appeal ✦✧✧✧✧
Type 2nd-hand Books
Opening Weekends
Setting Outdoor
Full Names
Marché aux Bouquinistes
Marché aux Livres
Along Quai de la Pêcherie, Lyon’s second hand booksellers invite visitors to browse old books, comic books, posters, engravings and paper collectibles in a relaxed atmosphere.
Création
In Video No
Appeal ✦✧✧✧✧
Type Craft
Opening Sunday mornings
Setting Outdoor
Full Name
Marché de la Création
Every Sunday morning, the Marché de la Création gathers artists and craftspeople around original artworks, unique pieces and limited editions along Quai Romain Rolland.
CHURCHES
Overview Table
| Name | Appeal | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Notre-Dame de Fourvière | ✦✦✦✦✦ | Basilica |
| St-Jean-Baptiste | ✦✦✦✦✦ | Cathedral |
| St-Nizier | ✦✦✧✧✧ | Church |
| St-Bonaventure | ✦✦✧✧✧ | Basilica |
| St-Georges | ✦✧✧✧✧ | Church |
| Ste-Blandine | ✦✧✧✧✧ | Church |
| St-Martin-d’Ainay | ✦✦✧✧✧ | Basilica |
| St-Bruno des Chartreux | ✦✧✧✧✧ | Church |
| St-Paul | ✦✧✧✧✧ | Church |
Notre-Dame de Fourvière
In Video Yes
Appeal ✦✦✦✦✦
Type Basilica
Full Name
Basilique Notre-Dame de Fourvière
Notre Dame de Fourvière is one of Lyon’s most important religious landmarks. Built between 1872 and 1884, then consecrated in 1896, it stands out for its highly recognizable architecture combining Romanesque, Byzantine and Gothic influences. Its exterior is impressive, with four corner towers, a massive silhouette and richly sculpted decoration. The basilica was designed as a major Marian sanctuary, connected to Lyon’s long standing devotion to the Virgin Mary.
The interior is especially spectacular. The upper nave features dense decoration made of mosaics, colored marble, gilding, stained glass windows and side chapels. Large wall mosaics depict religious and historical scenes linked to Marian worship. Beneath the upper church, the crypt dedicated to Saint Joseph offers a second prayer space, more understated but equally interesting. Fourvière is worth visiting for the strength of its architecture, the richness of its decoration and its status as one of Lyon’s great sanctuaries.
Guided Visit
Price €8
⚙️ Hours & Prices (Official Website)
Guided Rooftop Visit
Price €14
St-Jean-Baptiste
In Video Yes
Appeal ✦✦✦✦✦
Type Cathedral
Full Names
Lyon Cathedral
Cathédrale Saint-Jean-Baptiste
Primatiale Saint-Jean de Lyon
Saint Jean Baptiste Cathedral, also known as Primatial Saint Jean, is the main religious building of Old Lyon. Its construction lasted from the 12th to the 15th century, which explains the mix of Romanesque and Gothic elements. The choir and apse still preserve a strong Romanesque structure, while the nave, vaults and façade are more Gothic in style. This architectural evolution gives the building great richness without artificial uniformity.
Inside, the cathedral is known for its stained glass windows, chapels, ancient stonework and astronomical clock. Dating from the 14th century and modified over later centuries, the clock is one of the cathedral’s most remarkable features. It combines timekeeping, the religious calendar and astronomical representations. The cathedral is also important because of its status as a primatial church, reflecting Lyon’s historic role within the French Church. It is an essential monument for understanding medieval religious architecture in Lyon.
St-Nizier
In Video No
Appeal ✦✦✧✧✧
Type Church
Full Name
Église Saint-Nizier
Saint Nizier is a Gothic church known for its asymmetrical façade, its two different bell towers and its historical importance as one of Lyon’s major merchant parishes.
St-Bonaventure
In Video No
Appeal ✦✦✧✧✧
Type Basilica
Full Name
Basilique Saint-Bonaventure
Saint Bonaventure is a former Franciscan convent church, known for its sober Gothic architecture, large nave and important religious role since the Middle Ages.
St-Georges
In Video No
Appeal ✦✧✧✧✧
Type Church
Full Name
Église Saint-Georges
Saint Georges is a 19th century neo Gothic church featuring a slender façade, stained glass windows and a harmonious interior decoration.
Ste-Blandine
In Video No
Appeal ✦✧✧✧✧
Type Church
Full Name
Église Sainte-Blandine
Sainte Blandine is a 19th century church dedicated to Lyon’s martyr Blandine, distinguished by its historicist architecture and bright interior.
St-Martin-d’Ainay
In Video No
Appeal ✦✦✧✧✧
Type Basilica
Full Name
Basilique Saint-Martin-d’Ainay
Saint Martin d’Ainay is a Romanesque basilica originating from a former Benedictine abbey, with a porch tower, sculpted capitals and remarkable medieval remains.
St-Bruno des Chartreux
In Video No
Appeal ✦✧✧✧✧
Type Church
Full Name
Église Saint-Bruno des Chartreux
Saint Bruno des Chartreux is a Baroque church known for its canopy altar, richly decorated interior and historical connection to the Carthusian order.
St-Paul
In Video No
Appeal ✦✧✧✧✧
Type Church
Full Names
Église Saint-Paul
Chapelle Sainte-Marguerite
Saint Paul is a church of Romanesque origin that was modified over the centuries and still retains architectural interest through its apse, arches and medieval structures.
ROMAN SITES
Overview Table
| Name | Appeal | Type | € |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fourvière Theater | ✦✦✦✦✧ | Theater | 0 |
| Odeon Theater | ✦✦✧✧✧ | Theater | 0 |
| Three Gauls Amphitheater | ✦✧✧✧✧ | Amphitheater Ruins | 0 |
Fourvière Theater
In Video Yes
Appeal ✦✦✦✦✧
Type Theater
Price Free
Full Names
Grand Théâtre
Théâtre Antique de Lyon
Théâtre Antique de Fourvière
The Ancient Theater of Fourvière is one of the major remains of Lugdunum, Roman Lyon. Built in 15 BC, it is considered the oldest and largest theater in Roman Gaul. With its stone seating that could hold around 10,000 spectators and its 108 meter diameter, it still gives a strong sense of how important Lugdunum was in antiquity.
At the time, notable citizens sat in the orchestra, while the public attended performances for free, funded by wealthy families. Plays were staged here, along with farces, pantomimes and musical performances. The stage wall, once decorated with several levels of columns, and the curtain system rising from the ground show how refined the site once was.
Today, the theater is still alive, every summer, it hosts performances during the Nuits de Fourvière festival, in a spectacular ancient setting.
Odeon Theater
In Video Yes
Appeal ✦✦✧✧✧
Type Theater
Price Free
Full Names
Théâtre Odéon
Théâtre Antique de Lyon
Théâtre Antique de Fourvière
The Odeon, located near the large ancient theater, was a more intimate venue. Built in the 2nd century, it was mainly used for music, public poetry readings and performances. Its main highlight is its polychrome marble paving, whose geometric patterns still decorate the orchestra.
Three Gauls Amphitheater
In Video No
Appeal ✦✧✧✧✧
Type Amphitheater Ruins
Price Free
Full Name
Amphithéâtre des Trois Gaules
The Three Gauls Amphitheater was built in the 1st century AD. It welcomed representatives from the 60 Gallic cities, but also hosted games, fights, festivals and executions.
MUSEUMS
Overview Table
| Name | Appeal | Theme | € |
|---|---|---|---|
| Confluences | ✦✦✦✧✧ | Science & Anthropology | €12 |
| Cinéma et Miniature | ✦✦✦✧✧ | Cinema & Miniatures | €22.90 |
| Lumière | ✦✦✧✧✧ | Cinema History | €9.50 |
| Imprimerie et Communication | ✦✦✧✧✧ | Books & Printing | Closed |
| Fine Arts | ✦✦✦✦✦ | Fine Arts | €8 |
| MAC | ✦✦✧✧✧ | Comtemporary Art | €9 |
| IAC | ✦✦✧✧✧ | Comtemporary Art | €6 |
| Jean Couty | ✦✦✧✧✧ | Modern & Contemporary Art | €6 |
| Lugdunum | ✦✦✦✦✧ | Roman Antiquity | €7 |
| Antiquaille | ✦✧✧✧✧ | Christian Heritage | €8 |
| Fourvière | ✦✧✧✧✧ | Religious Art | €6 |
| Trésor de la Cathédrale | ✦✦✧✧✧ | Liturgical Treasure | 0 |
| Histoire de Lyon - Gadagne Marionnette - Gadagne | ✦✦✧✧✧ ✦✦✧✧✧ | Local History Puppetry | €9 |
| Tissus et Arts Décoratifs | ✦✧✧✧✧ | Textiles & Decorative Arts | Closed |
| Maison des Canuts | ✦✦✧✧✧ | Silk Workers | €3 |
| Soieries Brochier | ✦✦✧✧✧ | Silk | €8 |
| Soierie Vivante | ✦✦✧✧✧ | Silk | €7.50 (Guided) |
| Illusion | ✦✦✧✧✧ | Optical Illusion | €13 |
| Opera | ✦✦✧✧✧ | Opera House | €20 (Guided) |
| Histoire Militaire | ✦✧✧✧✧ | Local Military History | 0 |
| Histoire de la Résistance | ✦✧✧✧✧ | WWII Resistance | €6 |
| Mémorial Montluc | ✦✧✧✧✧ | WWII Prison Memorial | 0 |
| Pompiers | ✦✧✧✧✧ | Firefighters | €7 |
| Mini World | ✦✦✦✧✧ | Miniature City Models | €16.90 |
| Lyon Aquarium | ✦✧✧✧✧ | Aquarium | €19.50 |
| Olympique Lyonnais | ✦✧✧✧✧ | Local Football Club | €10 |
Confluences
In Video No
Appeal ✦✦✦✧✧
Theme Science & Anthropology
Price €12
Full Name
Musée des Confluences
The Musée des Confluences stands where the Rhône and Saône rivers meet, inside a spectacular glass and steel building. Inside, human and natural sciences come together around big questions, the origins of the world, humanity’s place in it, societies, death and beliefs.
You’ll come across a fin whale skeleton, a 155 million year old Camarasaurus, the Choulans mammoth, animal mummies, ritual objects, minerals and pieces from all over the world. It is a very rich museum, sometimes a little disorienting, but definitely memorable.
Cinéma et Miniature
In Video No
Appeal ✦✦✦✧✧
Theme Cinema & Miniatures
Price €22.90
Full Name
Musée Cinéma et Miniature
The Cinema and Miniature Museum is set inside a 15th century house and takes you behind the scenes of cinema. Its collection includes more than 500 rare pieces, film props, costumes, prosthetics, models, sets, accessories and special effects. You can see items connected to Mary Poppins, Jurassic Park, Thor, Harry Potter, Alien and Gladiator. The visit helps you understand the work of the artists behind the scenes, model makers, technicians and special effects creators.
Lumière
In Video No
Appeal ✦✦✧✧✧
Theme Cinema History
Price €9.50
Full Name
Musée Lumière
Set in the former villa of the Lumière brothers, the Institut Lumière tells the story of a family of inventors behind the cinematograph. This is where cinema was born, in 1895. The place appeals both to film lovers and curious visitors, with its beautiful house, technical memorabilia and screening room.
Imprimerie et Communication
In Video No
Appeal ✦✦✧✧✧
Theme Books & Printing
Closed until Spring 2027.
Full Name
Musée de l’Imprimerie et de la Communication Graphique
Set inside a former Renaissance mansion, the Museum of Printing and Graphic Communication recalls Lyon’s major role in the history of books. During the Renaissance, the city was one of Europe’s great printing capitals and played a major part in spreading the ideas of its time.
Fine Arts
In Video Yes
Appeal ✦✦✦✦✦
Theme Fine Arts
Price €8
Full Names
Musée des Beaux-Arts
MBA
The Museum of Fine Arts occupies the former Palais Saint Pierre, a Benedictine abbey that became one of France’s major museums. As soon as you enter, the cloister, now turned into a public garden, surprises you with its calm atmosphere right in the center of Lyon. You can see outdoor sculptures there, including two works by Rodin and a bronze by Bourdelle, before heading into the collections.
After the Revolution, the site received confiscated artworks, then officially became a museum in 1801. Its purpose was twofold, to educate the public and to serve as a model for Lyon’s manufactures, especially for designers working in the silk industry. The decorative arts collections grew largely in this spirit.
The visit covers wide time periods, with paintings, sculptures, decorative arts and major works sent by the State in the early 19th century. You’ll find paintings by Veronese, Tintoretto, Rubens and Champaigne. The museum is worth visiting as much for its collections as for its setting, with its cloister, 17th century refectory, monumental rooms and atmosphere away from the bustle of Place des Terreaux.
⚙️ Hours & Prices (Official Website)
MAC
In Video No
Appeal ✦✦✧✧✧
Theme Comtemporary Art
Price €9
Full Names
Musée d’Art Contemporain
MAC
Lyon’s Museum of Contemporary Art faces the Parc de la Tête d’Or, in the Cité Internationale. It preserves the façade of the former convention center and bears the mark of Renzo Piano. Its collections focus on large scale installations and contemporary art after 1945.
IAC
In Video No
Appeal ✦✦✧✧✧
Theme Comtemporary Art
Price €6
Full Names
Institut d’Art Contemporain Villeurbanne/Rhône-Alpes
IAC
In Villeurbanne, the Institute of Contemporary Art plays a pioneering role. It organizes temporary exhibitions, builds a collection and shares it across the region. Three times a year, its spaces are renewed around major artists, groups or emerging creators.
Jean Couty
In Video No
Appeal ✦✦✧✧✧
Theme Modern & Contemporary Art
Price €6
Full Name
Musée Jean Couty
The Jean Couty Museum presents more than 150 works by this major 20th century Lyon painter. A witness to his time, he painted Lyon, Romanesque churches and landscapes discovered during his travels, often with a palette leaning toward Fauvist colors.
Lugdunum
In Video Yes
Appeal ✦✦✦✦✧
Theme Roman Antiquity
Price €7
Full Name
Lugdunum – Musée & Théâtres Romains
Lugdunum, Museum and Roman Theaters, is an underground museum devoted to the first centuries of ancient Lyon. Its architecture blends into the site so well that it is almost invisible from the outside. The visit follows a spiral ramp and explores around twenty themes linked to the Gallo Roman period, with an introduction to regional prehistory.
The objects on display are originals, most of them discovered during local excavations. Highlights include the Triumph of Bacchus sarcophagus, the Celtic processional chariot with four bronze wheels, the Claudian Tablet, the Coligny Calendar, as well as many sculptures, mosaics, steles, craft objects and funerary pieces. The Lyon Vaise treasure, with statuettes, jewelry and gold and silver coins, is one of the must sees.
Antiquaille
In Video No
Appeal ✦✧✧✧✧
Theme Christian Heritage
Price €8
Full Names
L’Antiquaille
Espace Culturel du Christianisme à Lyon
ECCLY
Antiquaille is a heritage space dedicated to the Christian origins of Lyon, especially the Lyon martyrs. The visit highlights remains, religious memory and the history of the site.
Fourvière
In Video No
Appeal ✦✧✧✧✧
Theme Religious Art
Price €6
Full Name
Musée de Fourvière
The Fourvière Museum is a sacred art museum set inside a former Jesuit chapel. Its temporary exhibitions present the collections in rotation, around themes linked to religious art.
Trésor de la Cathédrale
In Video No
Appeal ✦✦✧✧✧
Theme Liturgical Treasure
Price Free
Full Names
Trésor de la Cathédrale Saint Jean-Baptiste
Manécanterie
The cathedral treasury includes, among other pieces, a 10th century ivory casket, a Byzantine portable altar, Limoges enamels and liturgical vestments made with cloth of gold.
Histoire de Lyon - Gadagne
In Video No
Appeal ✦✦✧✧✧
Theme Local History
Price €9 (also includes the museum below)
Full Name
Musée d’Histoire de Lyon – Gadagne
The History of Lyon Museum occupies Gadagne, a large Renaissance residence listed as a Historic Monument. Its route tells the story of the city’s evolution from the Renaissance to today through objects, models, videos, personal accounts and accessible displays. The exhibitions explore urban change, the rivers, industry, the canuts and the people of Lyon.
Marionnette - Gadagne
In Video No
Appeal ✦✦✧✧✧
Theme Puppetry
Price €9 (also includes the museum above)
Full Name
Musée des Arts de la Marionnette – Gadagne
The Museum of Puppetry Arts presents a collection of more than 2,000 puppets from around the world. The visit explores the many uses of this living art, making people laugh, dream, worry, learn, manipulate and transmit stories. Chinese shadow puppets, object theater, puppet booths and videos create a very lively route.
Tissus et Arts Décoratifs
In Video No
Appeal ✦✧✧✧✧
Theme Textiles & Decorative Arts
Closed until 2030.
Full Name
Musées des Tissus et des Arts Décoratifs
The Textile Museum is set inside the Hôtel de Villeroy, the former residence of the governor of Lyonnais. It holds nearly 2,500,000 textile pieces covering 4,500 years of production, from Pharaonic Egypt to today, from the Far East to the West.
The museum is currently undergoing restructuring.
Maison des Canuts
In Video No
Appeal ✦✦✧✧✧
Theme Silk Workers
Price €3
Full Name
La Maison des Canuts
The Maison des Canuts helps visitors understand the history of Lyon’s silk industry and the central role of the canuts in the identity of Croix Rousse. The visit covers weaving techniques, Jacquard looms, the organization of the Lyon silk trade and the social struggles of the silk workers. The approach is lively, with demonstrations and accessible explanations.
Soieries Brochier
In Video No
Appeal ✦✦✧✧✧
Theme Silk
Price €8
Full Name
Musée Soieries Brochier
The Silk Workshop, Brochier Soieries, is devoted to traditional silk printing, known as “Lyon style printing”. You can see flat frame printing, as well as hand painting on velvet, muslin and silk.
Soierie Vivante
In Video No
Appeal ✦✦✧✧✧
Theme Silk
Price €7.50 – Guided only (English on request)
Full Name
Association Soierie Vivante
Soierie Vivante opens the doors of former canut workshops. The visit lets you see looms in operation while learning about weaving, working class life, the canut revolts and the textile memory of Croix Rousse.
Illusion
In Video No
Appeal ✦✦✧✧✧
Theme Optical Illusion
Price €13
Full Name
Musée de l’Illusion Lyon
The Museum of Illusion offers a fun visit focused on visual perception, optical illusions, perspective games and interactive installations. It features more than 70 illusions.
Opera
In Video No
Appeal ✦✦✧✧✧
Theme Opera House
Price €20 – Guided only
Full Name
Opéra National de Lyon
The Lyon Opera is not a traditional museum, but its guided tours let you discover the architecture, backstage areas, workspaces and history of the building.
Histoire Militaire
In Video No
Appeal ✦✧✧✧✧
Theme Local Military History
Price Free
Full Name
Musée d’Histoire Militaire de Lyon et sa Région
The Museum of Military History of Lyon and its Region offers a chronological route devoted to military events linked to Lyon, from the Gauls to the contemporary period.
Histoire de la Résistance
In Video No
Appeal ✦✧✧✧✧
Theme WWII Resistance
Price €6
Full Names
Centre d’Histoire de la Résistance et de la Déportation
CHRD
The Resistance and Deportation History Center occupies the former military medical school, which served as Gestapo headquarters during WWII. Documents, testimonies, reconstructions and images retrace the history of Lyon’s Resistance.
Mémorial Montluc
In Video No
Appeal ✦✧✧✧✧
Theme WWII Prison Memorial
Price Free
Full Name
Mémorial National de la Prison de Montluc
Montluc Prison is a place of memory, not a traditional museum. More than 10,000 prisoners were held there between 1943 and 1944 before deportation or execution. The cells still contain photographs and biographies of former prisoners.
Pompiers
In Video No
Appeal ✦✧✧✧✧
Theme Firefighters
Price €7
Full Name
Musée des Sapeurs-Pompiers
The Lyon Rhône Firefighters Museum presents helmets, uniforms, vehicles, rescue equipment and the history of the profession, from the Middle Ages to today.
Mini World
In Video No
Appeal ✦✦✦✧✧
Theme Miniature City Models
Price €16.90
Full Name
Mini World Lyon
Mini World Lyon is designed for a family visit. You’ll discover animated miniature worlds created to amaze both children and adults, with sets, moving scenes and countless details to observe.
Lyon Aquarium
In Video No
Appeal ✦✦✦✦✧
Theme Aquarium
Price €19.50
Full Name
Aquarium de Lyon
Lyon Aquarium has 3,000 fish and nearly 300 freshwater and saltwater species. Sharks, piranhas, tropical fish, coral reefs and a touch pool are all part of the visit.
Olympique Lyonnais
In Video No
Appeal ✦✧✧✧✧
Theme Local Football Club
Price €10
Full Name
Olympique Lyonnais Le Musée
The Olympique Lyonnais Museum, at Groupama Stadium, retraces the history of Lyon football. Themed spaces, testimonies, touchscreens, great matches and interactive games appeal to both fans and curious visitors.
PARKS
Overview Table
| Name | Appeal | Type | € |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tête d'Or | ✦✦✦✦✦ | Park | 0 |
| Fine Arts Museum Garden | ✦✦✧✧✧ | Garden | 0 |
| Parc des Hauteurs | ✦✦✧✧✧ | Park | 0 |
| Gadagne | ✦✦✧✧✧ | Garden | 0 |
| Rosa Mir | ✦✦✧✧✧ | Garden | 0 |
Tête d'Or
In Video Yes
Appeal ✦✦✦✦✦
Type Park
Price Free
Full Name
Parc de la Tête d’Or
Parc de la Tête d’Or is one of Lyon’s great green lungs and one of the largest urban parks in France. People come here to wander along the long paths, stretch out on the lawns, enjoy sunny days or simply take a break from the bustle of the city.
The park brings together several different atmospheres, wide open spaces, wooded areas, a rose garden, a botanical garden, and a zoo.
The whole park is free to enter and remains a favorite meeting place for locals.
Lyon Botanical Garden
The botanical garden features large greenhouses, tropical plants, carnivorous plants, arid climate species, as well as outdoor collections including bamboo, peonies, a rose garden, an arboretum, a fern garden and a shade garden.
Lyon Zoo
The zoo covers around 8 hectares and is home to nearly 400 animals from about 60 species, with special attention given to endangered species. The African Plain features zebras, antelopes, giraffes, watusi cattle, lemurs, birds, big cats and primates, while the Asian Forests area highlights rare animals in a lush green setting.
Fine Arts Museum Garden
In Video No
Appeal ✦✦✧✧✧
Type Garden
Price Free
Full Name
Jardin du Musée des Beaux-Arts de Lyon
Behind the entrance porch of the Museum of Fine Arts, the former Benedictine cloister forms a peaceful public garden, with benches, sculptures by Rodin and a bronze by Bourdelle.
Parc des Hauteurs
In Video No
Appeal ✦✦✧✧✧
Type Park
Price Free
Full Names
Parc des Hauteurs
Jardin du Rosaire
Parc des Hauteurs is a landscaped area set on Fourvière Hill. It stands out for its sloping gardens, wooded passages, viewpoints and a wilder atmosphere than a classic city park. It is especially interesting for its direct connection with the hillside landscape.
⚙️ Hours – 24/7
Gadagne
In Video No
Appeal ✦✦✧✧✧
Type Garden
Price Free
Full Name
Jardin Gadagne
The Gadagne Garden is a hanging garden set above the museums of the same name. It is especially worth visiting for its calm atmosphere, terraced layout and carefully chosen plants.
Rosa Mir
In Video No
Appeal ✦✦✧✧✧
Type Garden
Price Free
Full Name
Jardin Rosa Mir
The Rosa Mir Garden is a unique creation by Jules Senis Mir, made of stones, pebbles and shells, with Arab-Andalusian inspiration.
WALL PAINTINGS
Overview Table
| Name | Appeal |
|---|---|
| Tony Garnier | ✦✦✦✧✧ |
| Wall Paintings | ✦✦✦✧✧ |
Tony Garnier
In Video No
Appeal ✦✦✦✧✧
Type A
Full Name
Cité Musée Tony Garnier
The Tony Garnier Urban Museum, in the États Unis district, is experienced like an open air museum. Its 25 painted façades tell the story of the neighborhood, working class life and Tony Garnier’s forward thinking vision. Some murals reproduce the plans and colors of his “industrial city”, an ideal city imagined around a river, while others, created by international artists, offer their own vision of the ideal city. Altogether, the murals cover nearly 5,500 square meters.
The visit can also be completed with a 1930s show apartment, which recreates the atmosphere of the interwar period.
Wall Paintings
In Video No
Appeal ✦✦✦✧✧
Type A
Full Names
Fresques Murales de Lyon
Murs Peints de Lyon
Painted walls are one of Lyon’s great visual trademarks. In the early 1980s, young artists decided to transform blank walls, which had until then been dull and grey, into large urban scenes. These murals celebrate Lyon’s famous figures, printing, silk workers, cinema, great chefs and the history of different neighborhoods. In this way, Lyon can also be explored as an open air gallery.
VIEWPOINTS
Overview Table
| Name | Appeal | Type | € |
|---|---|---|---|
| Esplanade Fourvière | ✦✦✦✦✦ | Esplanade | 0 |
| Parc des Hauteurs | ✦✦✧✧✧ | Park | 0 |
| Jardin des Curiosités | ✦✦✦✧✧ | City Park | 0 |
| Grande-Côte | ✦✦✧✧✧ | Esplanade | 0 |
Esplanade Fourvière
In Video Yes
Appeal ✦✦✦✦✦
Type Esplanade
Price Free
Full Name
Esplanade Fourvière
The Fourvière Esplanade is Lyon’s most classic viewpoint. From the forecourt, the view opens wide over the city, with the Saône, the Rhône, the Presqu’île, Croix Rousse and the more recent districts.
Parc des Hauteurs
In Video No
Appeal ✦✦✧✧✧
Type Park
Price Free
Full Name
Parc des Hauteurs
Parc des Hauteurs offers several viewpoints from Fourvière Hill, thanks to its belvederes and sloping paths.
⚙️ Hours – 24/7
Jardin des Curiosités
In Video No
Appeal ✦✦✦✧✧
Type City Park
Price Free
Full Names
Jardin des Curiosités
Jardin de Montréal
Jardin du Belvédère
Jardin des Curiosités is a more discreet viewpoint, appreciated for its open view over Lyon and its calmer atmosphere compared with Fourvière.
Grande-Côte
In Video Yes
Appeal ✦✦✧✧✧
Type Esplanade
Price Free
Full Name
Grande-Côte
The Grande Côte Esplanade offers a framed perspective over the uphill street of the same name and an open view over Lyon.
LIGHT SHOW
Fête des Lumières
In Video Yes
Appeal ✦✦✦✦✦
When Around December 8th (each year)
Full Names
Fête des Lumières
Festival of Lights
The Festival of Lights is one of the biggest moments of the year in Lyon. Every year around December 8, the city turns into a huge illuminated stage, drawing several million visitors into its streets. The façades of the main monuments become backdrops for spectacular projections, with colors, images and movement created by lighting artists from Lyon and around the world.
This mix of monumental creations and more intimate works is what gives the festival its unique character. Lyon takes on a completely different face, its walls, riverbanks, squares and buildings gain a whole new dimension.