From brie to bouillabaisse, France is rightly celebrated as one of Europe’s epicurean titans. Yet one city stands out for its exceptional gastronomic heritage: Lyon.
Welcome to our Lyon travel guide. As passionate Lyon lovers and regular visitors, we are about to explore everything that makes southern France’s greatest city so special – from its rich history and fascinating architecture to its renowned cuisine.
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What is Lyon known for?
Lyon sits in the sunkissed Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, at the confluence of the Rhône and Saône rivers. While it rightly earns its description as the world capital of gastronomy, there’s more to this stunning city than its culinary contribution. Here’s what Lyon is best known for.
Food
As a city with the reputation of France’s culinary capital, visiting Lyon is a must for the gourmet traveller. Here, you can savour the delicious simplicity of local breads, cheeses and street food served by vendors and in tiny cafes, alongside bucket-list gastronomic experiences in Michelin-starred restaurants. Wherever you dine, it’s nearly impossible to find a bad meal in Lyon.
Wine
No visit to southern France is complete without a glass or two of local vin and Lyon is the ideal city in which to discover incredible wines. Nestled in Beaujolais, an often underrated wine region compared to Bordeaux, Burgundy, or Champagne, Lyon boasts a blossoming wine industry. There’s much to explore, from the fun-filled Beaujolais Nouveaus to prestigious crus, including powerful age-worthy reds such as Morgon and Moulin-à-Vent.
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History
Founded by the Romans in 43 BC as ‘Lugdunum’, Lyon became a vital trade and cultural centre thanks to its location between northern and southern Europe. The city flourished during the Renaissance, becoming a hub for silk production, and later being a significant part of the French Resistance during WWII. The rich history of this UNESCO World Heritage city unfolds in Lyon’s streets, museums and religious buildings.
Architecture
Lyon’s architecture is one of its outstanding features and for this reason it’s a city best explored on foot. Start your journey at the modern Musée des Confluences, with its striking glass, concrete and stainless steel facade overlooking the rivers. You can then experience a complete contrast with the ornate Basilique Notre-Dame de Fourvière (nicknamed the ‘upside-down elephant’) and the imposing Gothic Cathédrale Saint-Jean-Baptiste.
Culture
Lyon will gladly quench your thirst for culture and art. You can spend days exploring the city’s museums, such as the Musée des Confluences (science and anthropology) and the more unusual Musée Cinéma et Miniatures. For a deeper dive into the art scene, visit macLYON (modern art) or La Sucrière – a former sugar warehouse that hosts various large-scale contemporary art exhibitions.
Nature
Lyon is admired for its natural beauty as much as its man-made structures. A prime example of this is the famous confluence of the Saône and Rhône Rivers. This merging conflux creates a truly breathtaking sight as the clear turquoise waters of the fast-flowing glacial Rhône (originating in the Swiss Alps) meet the milky waters of the slower, sediment-filled Saône.
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Our picks for the best things to do in Lyon
There are many reasons to fall in love with Lyon besides its wonderful food and wine. If you’re planning on a short trip to the city, here’s our pick of the best things to do in Lyon.
Take a panoramic hill walk
With the promise of so much to eat and drink, it’s worth building an appetite by exploring the city – and we recommend starting with a walk up the Fourvière Hill. With gorgeous panoramic views of Lyon (extending as far as Mont Blanc on a clear day), you can see the city’s unique architectural evolution from a new perspective, while also enjoying the beautiful basilica and the miniature Eiffel Tower. Alternatively, if you prefer a rural setting, consider the Monts d’Or, located a short distance from the city, which features charming small towns and lovely rural landscapes.
Visit Halles de Lyon
Back in the city, an essential stop is the famous indoor food market, Halles de Lyon, overseen by a large mural of the iconic Paul Bocuse on a neighbouring building. This truly mesmerising space is home to all you could want from southern France’s gourmet scene, including 55 merchants offering everything from local breads and pastries to fresh seafood, escargot and frog legs. The astounding selection is matched by the beauty of the displays, which make it difficult to tear yourself away without buying everything!
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Wander Vieux-Lyon (the Old Town)
Lyon’s old town, Vieux-Lyon, is a treasure and a whole day can be spent wandering the medieval streets and cobblestone lanes. The town features three distinct areas – Saint Jean, Saint Paul and Saint Georges – and all are worthy of exploration. At every step you are greeted with something to capture your attention, from exquisite silk weavers to freshly baked croissants at beautiful boulangeries.
Traverse the traboules
One of the best things to do in Lyon is to venture through the traboules. Found primarily in Vieux Lyon and the nearby Croix-Rousse district, the traboules are a network of around 500 narrow covered corridors dating back to the Renaissance. Originally built to transport silk and water, they played a crucial role in the French Resistance during WWII, housing clandestine meetings. Today, the traboules allow residents to navigate the city quickly and tourists to enjoy stepping back in time.
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Dine at L’Auberge (Restaurant Paul Bocuse)
There are few faces more synonymous with Lyon than that of the late Paul Bocuse – the godfather of French gastronomy. His legacy is his two-Michelin-star restaurant, known as L’Auberge, overlooking the river Saône. Continued by a team of exceptional chefs, Restaurant Paul Bocuse has been a fine-dining landmark for nearly 60 years and is a must when you visit Lyon. Sublime signature dishes include lobster à la Française and black truffle soup VGE. Magnifique.
Pay homage to cinema culture
After the local Lumiere brothers invented the cinematograph in 1892, Lyon is rightly recognized as the birthplace of cinema. Today, you can explore the art and history of cinema at the Lumière Museum in the eastern 8th district of the city. Lyon’s love for cinema continues into the 21st century, with over 40 cinemas and 20 film festivals, including the grand Lumière Festival each October.
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Take a day trip to Oingt
With so much to do in Lyon, you may find it difficult to tear yourself away from the city. Yet the short drive northwest to the village of Oingt (pronounced ‘waah’) will reward you with arguably the most beautiful village in France. Its charming golden-brick buildings, elaborately decorated houses and narrow streets are a joy to explore – as are the beautiful little wineries. On our last visit to Oingt, we arranged for a private wine tasting at the top of the town’s tower, combining extraordinary scenery and local wines for a very special experience.
Explore Lyon’s silk heritage
Lyon is synonymous with silk, with the city famed as Europe’s leading silk producer in the 16th century. Today, Lyon remains a nucleus for luxury silk items, through workshops and museums. To satiate your curiosity, visit the Maison des Canuts in Croix-Rousse, the old silk hub, for guided tours, demonstrations and a dedicated silk shop where you can buy these silky works of art.
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Experience Lyon as part of a bucket-list luxury adventure
Visit Lyon in true style by joining us on our luxury driving tour of France. Over a seven-day bucket-list adventure from Lyon to Epernay you will explore the stunning French countryside in a series of the world’s finest luxury supercars, dine at gourmet restaurants, and stay in boutique accommodation along the way. An experience not to be missed.
If you want to learn more about this fantastic French adventure or any of our European luxury experiences, speak with our friendly travel concierge team today.
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