15 Best Things to Do in Lyon (France)

Picturesque Lyon isn’t what most people expect from the third-largest city in France. Situated in the country’s southeast, only 100 kilometres or so from Geneva in Switzerland, Lyon has an almost alpine ambience as it straddles both banks of the River Rhône in Burgundy.

But that’s not to imply that Lyon is in any way a little bit dull. Far from it, the city has a young and energetic population due to its university, meaning the city never stands still for long. While traditions remain important, the Lyonnaise young and old also seek out newer experiences, and delight in the range of cultural attractions their city has to offer.

Here are the best things to do in Lyon.

1. Vieux Lyon

There’s no better place to start an exploration of Lyon that in the Old Town, or Vieux Lyon. A place where time has stood still.

Its caramel-coloured stone walls and narrow ancient streets remain home to quaint cafes from where to watch the world go by, and small independent stores selling everything from camping gear to high-end handbags.

Vieux Lyon is divided between three districts, each named after a saint: Georges, Jean, and Paul. Together they encompass one of France’s 41 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, alongside the likes of the Louvre and Eiffel Tower.

2. Bouchons Lyonnais

Found on quiet side streets right around the city, bouchon Lyonnais are small often family-run bistros serving up a menu of authentic traditional dishes from the Rhône-Alpes region in which Lyon sits.

While they might not be much to look at from the outside, even full-on restaurants struggle to compete with their time-honoured menus of simple flavoursome foods that hark back to a time when Lyon was a relatively isolated village on route to the high Alps.

If you stop in one, salade lyonnaise, roast pork, and sausages are all sure to make an appearance on the menu.

3. Basilique Notre-Dame de Fourvière

Look towards Fourvière hill and you won’t fall to miss the Basilica of Notre-Dame that has stood here for roughly 150 years.

It was constructed – on top of the ancient Roman forum – to thank the Virgin Mary for stopping the Prussian army as it headed towards the city during the Franco-Prussian war of 1871.

However, its Romanesque and Byzantine design harks back to the earliest days of Christianity, with gold-leafed mosaics glittering in the candlelight inside.

While visiting don’t miss the opportunity to check out the view down to the rest of the city from its terrace.

Website: https://www.fourviere.org/en/

4. Musée des Beaux Arts

Found on Place des Terreaux, the Musée des Beaux Arts, or Museum of Fine Arts, allows the public a view of a collection of artworks widely regarded as only being bettered by the Louvre itself.

Its location is impressive enough, within the seventeenth-century Palais Saint-Pierre, that once had the more austere environment of a Benedictine convent.

One of the largest collections anywhere in Europe, its sculpture, paintings and drawings range from the early Renaissance to the last century, and boast Rembrandt, Rubens and Delacroix among its most prized possessions.

Website: https://www.mba-lyon.fr/fr

5. Colline de la Croix-Rousse

Rivalling Vieux Lyon for overall attractiveness, Colline de la Croix-Rousse (Red Cross Hill) is another historic district of the city, rising over a hill so steep stairs take the place of pavements more than once.

The mishmash of building colours and styles only adds to the allure of what was an important centre for the weaving industry right up until the 1800s.

Unique to Colline de la Croix-Rough is its series of traboules, or covered passageways, open to the public, that make their way through courtyards, buildings, and even private homes.

First used as a way for the weavers to transport their silk without it getting ruined by the dirt outside, they are now a great way of discovering otherwise hidden areas of Lyon.

6. Centre d’Histoire de la Résistance et de la Déportation

Few areas of France were left unaffected by the Nazi invasion of France in 1940. Lyon certainly wasn’t one of them.

On the contrary, after the fall of Paris, Lyon became the centre of resistance fighting within metropolitan France, a story told in this important memorial centre-cum-museum.

The centre is also tasked with shedding light on the Nazis crimes, not least the deportation of France’s Jewish population to concentration camps, with the building that houses the centre chosen because it was used by Klaus Barbie, head of the Gestapo secret police in the city.

Website: https://www.chrd.lyon.fr/chrd/edito-musee/resistance-and-deportation-history-centre

7. Grand-Parc Miribel Jonage

Just northeast of the city limits, Grand-Parc Miribel Jonage is park, river beach, and restaurant quarter all in one. It’s where Lyonnaise come and spend their free time whenever the weather allows it.

Spanning 2,200 hectares, the park is situated on an island on the Rhône, but can be reached by taking the Metro’s red line to Vaulx-en-Velin La Soie, followed by a number 83 bus with the journey taking roughly 45 minutes by public transport.

Website: https://www.grand-parc.fr

8. Théâtre Antique de Fourvière

France’s oldest Roman remains, Lyon’s Théâtre Antique is a well-preserved theatre where dramatists would have performed some 2,000 years ago when this growing settlement was the capital of Gaul, the name given to ancient France.

Having scaled its stepped seating, head to the nearby Archaeological Museum, which houses the very best finds from the area. These include a fine statue of Hercules and a rare mosaic depicting a chariot race.

Website: https://lugdunum.grandlyon.com/en/

9. Rhône cruise

Slip past some of Lyon’s most important sights with a sightseeing cruise along the River Rhône.

Taking to the water in this way gives you an insight into how the city has developed during its two thousand years of history.

Views stretch from the contemporary architecture of the confluence between the Rhône and Saône right up to the grand dame of the Basilique Notre-Dame de Fourvière.

Then admire the pleasant surrounds of Île Barbe in the middle of the Saône, as the city’s history opens up before you thanks to the expert knowledge of an onboard guide.

Website: https://www.lesbateauxlyonnais.com/sightseeing-cruises

10. Wine tasting tour

Spend even a short amount of time in Lyon and you’ll soon realise how importantly the city takes its location within French wine country.

The Burgundy region has been known for its wines for centuries, with names such as Beaujolais being synonymous with great quality the world over.

Head out to the vineyards of the region, and you can discover the secrets of Lyon’s wine trade for yourself, sampling the newest vintages in grand cellars of some of the finest names in wine making.

You’ll also get to experience the natural beauty of the neat rows of vines lining hillsides interrupted by nothing more than quiet roads and charming villages.

Website: https://www.lyonwinetastings.com

11. Presqu’ile District

Although other districts of Lyon demonstrate the charm of having developed bit by bit over centuries, this isn’t the case in Presqu’ile.

This district boasts a wealth of planned municipal works dating from the mid-seventeenth century onwards.

One of its most attractive spots is undoubtedly Place Bellecour and its monumental bronze statue of Louis XIV riding his horse, though Place des Terreaux comes in a close second.

Here, you’ll not only discover the 400-year-old Hôtel de Ville (Town Hall), but also a wonderful fountain depicting the region’s rivers.

The square is also the site of the city’s annual Fêtes des Lumière (Festival of Lights) which commemorates an even earlier intervention from the Virgin Mary than the Franco-Prussian war, in stopping bubonic plague reaching the city just as the plans for Presqu’ile were being formulated.

12. Cathédrale Saint-Jean Baptiste

Predating the Basilique Notre-Dame de Fourvière by several centuries, the Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist rises above the buildings on the left bank of the Saône.

The most noted attraction in this Gothic masterpiece are its stained-glass windows, and in particular the large rose window on the front façade which has been dated to 1392.

But the cathedral is also home to Anne-Marie de la Primatiale, a bell cast in 1622, and believed to be one of the largest ever made. You’ll have to be lucky to hear her however, as she is only ever rung on important feast days.

13. Théâtre des Célestins

The Théâtre des Célestins plays host to Lyon’s best actors, with the year dotted with performances that range from the ultra-modern to the classics, although almost always in French.

To get a sneak peak of the much-talked about interior, you can instead choose one of the Saturday tours, that lead intrigued visitors into the grand auditorium of red velvet seating, painted ceilings and gilt decoration.

Likewise, the Opéra de Lyon has a similar scheme to allow visitors to wander its hallowed nineteenth-century halls, should its opera and classical music season not yet be in full swing.

Website: https://www.theatredescelestins.com/en/

14. Musée d’Histoire de Lyon

If you’re having trouble piecing together all of Lyon’s long and illustrious history, you’re not alone, which is where the city’s History Museum comes in.

Through its permanent collection it shows what the city would have been like during five of its most important periods across 31 rooms, making use of 1,500 objects in the process.

Website: http://www.gadagne.musees.lyon.fr/index.php/history_en

15. Parc de la Tête d’Or

The so-called ‘Park of the Golden Head’ gets its unusual name from the legend that a gold casting of Christ’s head was buried here by Crusaders on their way home from the Holy Land.

Today, the park is home to a zoo, botanical gardens, rose garden and the L’Embarcadère lake, where visitors can rent a pleasure boat for a couple of hours of sailing.

There’s also a Petit Lac with boats specifically designed for younger visitors, together with a self-explanatory Grand Carrousel dating from the late 1800s, and pony rides, should children still be in need to entertainment.

You can find the park on the Rhône’s right bank, to the north of the city centre.