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Lyon [c] ( Franco-Provençal: Liyon ), formerly spelled in English as Lyons, [d] is the third-largest city of France. [e] It is located at the confluence of the rivers Rhône and Saône, to the northwest of the French Alps, 391 km (243 mi) southeast of Paris, 278 km (173 mi) north of Marseille, 113 km (70 mi) southwest of Geneva, 58 km (36 mi ...
- 47.87 km² (18.48 sq mi)
- France
- 162–349 m (531–1,145 ft)
- Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
Discover Lyon, France's third-largest city and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with its rich history, culture and cuisine. Find attractions, day trips, articles, guidebooks and more from Lonely Planet experts.
- Vieux Lyon
- Traboules
- Fourvière Basilica
- Parc de La Tête d’Or
- Presqu’île
- Musée Des Beaux-Arts de Lyon
- Ancient Theatre of Fourvière
- Gallo-Roman Museum of Lyon-Fourvière
- Lyon Cathedral
- Institut Lumière
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You can set foot in one of the largest renaissance old quarters in Europe. In the 15th, 16th and 17th centuries Lyon’s silk industry was thriving, and rich merchant families from across France, Flanders, Germany and Italy settled in the city. They built sumptuous homes, in the gothic, Italian renaissance and French renaissance styles, and there are...
In Vieux Lyon and La Croix-Rousse Saône are an architectural feature unique to this city: Traboules are delightful renaissance passageways, some 40 of which are open to the public, running beneath buildings in the direction of the Saône River. They gave the city’s silk workers direct access to riverbank, making it quick and easy to transport textil...
This magnificent church, ever visible on the Fourvière hill to west of the city is one of a series of iconic hill-top churches built in major French cities in the late-19th century. The basilica is in the oldest part of the city, Lyon’s pilgrimage site and where several Roman sites have been discovered. Go inside to see the extravagant interiors an...
A little way north of the centre is one of the largest urban parks in the country, with a zoo and France’s foremost botanical garden within its boundaries. If you’re around in spring then the international rose garden should be one of your first ports of call in the city. The botanical attractions are spectacular too, with more than 20,000 plant va...
A finger of land between the Rhône and Saône, Presqu’île was man-made by a humungous 18th-century urban engineering project, draining marshes and connecting what was once an island with dry land. It’s where most things “happen” in the city, a district of glorious 19th-century architecture, wide plazas, shops, cultural institutions, restaurants, caf...
Housed in a former abbey from the 1600s, the Musée des Beaux-Arts is France’s largest fine art museum after the Louvre in Paris. There are 70 rooms here, with paintings from the 1300s to the 1900s, sculpture and displays of both Egyptian and Oriental art. You don’t need more than a passing knowledge to be impressed by the wealth of famous French an...
This monument is also high on the left bank of the Saône River. And 2,000 years after it was built it is still a performance venue during the Nuits de Fourvière drama festival every June and July. At its peak it would have held 10,000 spectators, but only the middle and lower terraces of the cavea remain. Where the seating has been lost though, you...
If Fourvière’s extensive Roman ruins leave you thirsty for more ancient history, this modern museum is on site to give you some background. The building deserves a mention, as it’s partly underground and has been dug from the hillside next to the roman theatre. Futuristic, bunker-like galleries are arranged around a spiralling concrete ramp. There’...
The city’s fabulous cathedral is a mostly gothic construction built between the 12th and 15th centuries. The majority of the original stained-glass windows are still here and date to the 1300s. They had been dismantled and packed away during the Second World War to save them from bomb damage. The most captivating are the north, south and west roses...
Anybody who goes to the cinema should be excited to pay homage to the Lumière brothers, who are held as the fathers of the movie-making art. The museum was set up by a descendant of Louis Lumière, who, working with August, helped invent the cinematograph, the first motion picture camera and projector. They also made more than a thousand films toget...
Discover the best things to do in Lyon, France's gastronomic capital and World Heritage Site. Explore the renaissance old town, Roman ruins, historic industrial districts and the regal Presqu'île quarter. See the iconic Fourvière Basilica, the botanical park, the opera house and the art museum.
Discover Lyon and its surroundings with the ONLYLYON Tourist Office. Find out about events, exhibitions, gastronomy, shopping, culture, leisure and more in the French Capital of Gastronomy.
6 days ago · Lyon, France. Lyon, capital of both the Rhône département and the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes région, east-central France, set on a hilly site at the confluence of the Rhône and Saône rivers. It is the third largest city in France, after Paris and Marseille. A Roman military colony called Lugdunum was founded there in 43 bce, and it subsequently ...
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Apr 13, 2021 · Discover the best of Lyon, France's grand and exciting city, in two days. Explore its history, culture, food, and nightlife with this suggested itinerary, including tips on where to stay, eat, and visit.
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Things to Do in Lyon, France: See Tripadvisor's 550,543 traveler reviews and photos of Lyon tourist attractions. Find what to do today, this weekend, or in May. We have reviews of the best places to see in Lyon. Visit top-rated & must-see attractions.
