The city is located at the confluence of the Rhône and Saône Rivers.
How to go to Lyon?
> By car
> By train: 2-hour TGV from Paris, 1-hour TGV from Marseille
> By plane from St Exupery airport (note that there is an Express train to the city center for 18 euros single ticket and you then need to take another metro ticket to reach Lyon city center...).
Where to stay? Look for 1st or 2nd arrondissement (close to the Saône River ideally) or try to find a Airbnb option in a typical flat in Croix-Rousse.
What to do?
Here are a few ideas if you are in Lyon for a weekend:
Bike-tour around the city
Download the app called 'vélo'v' and select the package that suits you the most. There are several packages e.g. '1-Day' or '1-ride', this is worth comparing them based on the usage you are planning to do. In all cases, the package is only a 'right' to use the app/bike and you will need to pay an additional fee based on how much you use the bike. In all cases, the first half-hour of your journey is free and a fee per minute or 30 minute will apply beyond that depending on the package you selected. Then, you just need to pick up your bike at the nearest pick up point and drop it off at collection point close to your intended location. You can see on the map where these pick up/collection points are and how many bikes (with their associated reviews) are available.
This is a very pleasant and relatively safe way to explore the city as Lyon has a few large trails/lanes dedicated to bikes.
Suggestion of itinerary - which is a very nice ride along the Saône and the Rhône with a stop for a snack at Les Halles Paul Bocuse (see below) and Parc de la Tête d’Or (see below).
Old Town called 'Vieux Lyon'
Lyon built its fortune on the silk trade. This industry furnished it with beautiful renaissance architecture in Vieux Lyon, where semi-hidden passageways called Traboules connect courtyards with the Saône. I would recommend to make a stop at one of the longest Traboule called "The long Traboule" located between 54, Rue Saint-Jean and 37, Rue du Boeuf. This one goes through 4 different buildings and courtyards.
A bit further down Rue du Boeuf on the left side this time, you can also go into a smaller one located behind the restaurant called 'Le Tire Bouchon' thats brings you to the Eglise Orthodoxe Française Saint Jean Le Théologien. The legend says that a tax collector built his house there based on the money he collected from the population. He was very wealthy and he would have built a small church and a well! [see 2 pictures below - orange house and the well on the top right]
Lyon cathedral is a Roman Catholic church located on Place Saint-Jean (Old Town). Worth a quick look, at least from the outside!
Fourvière hill - known as the hill that prays (UNESCO World Heritage)
Location: west of the old part of the town, rising from the river Saône
How to go there? on foot (note that this is a steep walk!) or by funicular (this is the world's two oldest and active funicular railway lines)
What to see?
1/ Visit the Catholic Basilica of Fourvière (free entry) - dominant position overlooking the city. Fourvière is dedicated to the Virgin Mary, to whom is attributed the salvation of the city of Lyon from the bubonic plague that swept Europe in 1643. Each year in early December, Lyon thanks the Virgin for saving the city by lighting candles throughout the city, in what is called the Fête des Lumières or the Festival of Lights (see below). Note that Fourvière actually contains two churches, one on top of the other. Fun fact: The basilica has acquired the local nickname of "the upside-down elephant", because the building looks like the body of an elephant and the four towers look like its legs.
2/ Visit the ruins of Roman Baths, partially intact ruins of a Roman Theatre (15 BC) and a 2nd Century Roman Odéon rediscovered in the 20th century and now home to a museum as well as a series of concerts and operas throughout the summer
3/ La Tour Métallique - Fun fact: this looks like a small replica of The Eiffel Tower!
If you are visiting around June-July time, there is a festival called 'The Nuits de Fourvière, with theater, circus, music, dance, and film presentations.
La-Croix Rousse hill - known as the hill that works
Location: Les pentes - the slops (Lyon 1st), le plateau - the top of the hill (Lyon 4)
How to go there? Metro Line C
The district started developing in the 18th century when the silk workshops moved here from the Vieux-Lyon area. The name "La Croix-Rousse" ('the russet/red cross') comes from a reddish-brown stone cross erected there in the 16th century. While it used to be a poor district, this has now become a very wealthy area to live.
Parc de la Tête d’Or - free entry
Largest urban park in France with about 105 ares inc. a 16-are lake. The park is largely influenced by the style of an English garden. You can find there a lot of attractions inc. botanical gardens, a zoo, a boating lake and this is also a very romantic place!
How to get there? Short walk northeast of the centre of Lyon in the 6th arrondissement.
Other ideas/things to see:
> Visit Fine Arts museum
> La place Bellecour - largest pedestrian square in Europe with the statue of Louis XVI in the middle. During winter, you can enjoy a ride on the great wheel.
> Confluence area and its futuristic architecture and its museum (http://www.museedesconfluences.fr/)
Lyon, food capital of gastronomy
Lyon is the ideal place to discover French cuisine and to fall in love with it. With more than 1,500 eateries, Lyon city has one of the highest concentrations of restaurants per capita in France.
> Visit Les Halles de Lyon/Paul Bocuse (see pictures below). Mythic indoor food market with around 50 vendors. Great location for lunch! 102 Cours Lafayette (Lyon 3eme)
> Eat in a 'bouchon lyonnais' (family-owned local bistrot) to try one of the local specialties: quenelles (mixture of creamed fish or meat), Lyonnaise sausages/saucissons platter called "cochonnailles lyonnaises" inc. rosette de Lyon (cured sausage)/'jésus de Lyon', Gras double (tripe cooked with onions) or an andouillette (a sausage of coarsely cut tripe) and ask for Tarte praline for dessert!
> Go to one of the outdoor food market: Saint Antoine Farmers Market along the banks of the Saône River (every day but Monday) or Boulevard de la Croix-Rousse (on the steep hill)
> Buy a "Brioche aux pralines". This is a rich brioche flavored with pieces of pralines made in-house: Valencia almonds and Piedmont hazelnuts coated in rose sugar and then cracked
Maison Pralus is very famous. On certain Saturdays the shop will sell more than 800 Pralulines! You can also buy there a simple bag of pink pralines.
> Go to La Commune that opened in March 2018 (former woodwork establishment now converted into a hall hosting about 15 stalls where you can enjoy all sorts of food inc. traditional French (cheese, oysters), world (ceviche, sushi) and street food (burgers, ice creams). The chefs are brought together around a shared concept: creative, authentic and accessible cuisine that gives pride of place to local craft produce. 3 Rue Pré-Gaudry (Lyon 7eme). Open Tue. and Wed.: 7:30 AM-12 AM, Thu. and Fri.: 7:30 AM-1 AM, Sat.: 11:30 AM-1 AM and Sun.: 11:30 AM-5 PM.
> Restaurants recommendations - we went to Maison Villemanzy in Croix Rousse (25 Montée Saint-Sébastien, 1er arrondissement) and everything but the bread was quite good.
The Festival of Lights (December)
Every year around December 8th, there is the famous 'The Festival of Lights'. Over 40 light installations are set up across the city lighting up buildings, streets, squares and parks and create a magical atmosphere. If you wish to attend, you should try to book as early as possible! In 2018, it was estimated that 1.8 million visitors attended over the 4 Festival evenings, as in 2017. 100,000 foreign visitors came to Lyon for the Festival of Lights, with the top five countries represented being Italy, Switzerland, Spain, Germany and the UK. 260,000 hotel nights were booked in Lyon over the 4 days!
More info here: http://www.fetedeslumieres.lyon.fr/en
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