Lyon, France

City guide

Lyon

Gastronomic capital of France

Spring and autumn for mild weather; early December for the Fete des LumieresBest time
CityVibe
FranceRegion

Lyon is built around the Presqu'ile peninsula between the Rhone and Saone rivers, with Renaissance Vieux Lyon and the Fourviere basilica hill forming a UNESCO World Heritage old town. It is also considered France's gastronomic capital, known for its bouchon bistros and the Fete des Lumieres light festival each December.

Photo: Otourly / CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

About Lyon

Lyon is built around the Presqu'ile peninsula between the Rhone and Saone rivers, with Renaissance Vieux Lyon and the Fourviere basilica hill forming a UNESCO World Heritage old town. It is also considered France's gastronomic capital, known for its bouchon bistros and the Fete des Lumieres light festival each December.

City
Country: FranceLanguage: FrenchCurrency: Euro (EUR)Time zone: CET (UTC+1)
Lyon, FranceLyonSee what's on

The vibe & who it suits

Lyon is built around the Presqu'ile peninsula between the Rhone and Saone rivers, with Renaissance Vieux Lyon and the Fourviere basilica hill forming a UNESCO World Heritage old town. It is also considered France's gastronomic capital, known for its bouchon bistros and the Fete des Lumieres light festival each December.

Best forRenaissance old-town sightseeing in Vieux Lyon and Fourviere; food-focused travel around the bouchons and Les Halles Paul Bocuse market; the December Fete des Lumieres
When to goSpring and autumn for mild weather; early December for the Fete des Lumieres
Getting aroundWalkable centre; large metro, tram and funicular network; two TGV stations (Part-Dieu and Perrache)
Where to stayVieux Lyon for Renaissance streets and funicular access to Fourviere
Maybe skip ifYou want coastal or beach scenery

What's on in Lyon

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Tickets & attractions

Top attractions in Lyon

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Vieux Lyon (Old Lyon)

France’s largest Renaissance quarter and UNESCO World Heritage site — explore the hidden passageways (traboules) between the old silk-weavers’ houses of Presqu’île.

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Institut Lumière

The birthplace of cinema — the former villa of the Lumière brothers is now a museum, with the world’s first public cinema screening hall and the original Cinématographe.

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Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourvière

The ornate white basilica crowning the Fourvière hill — accessible by funicular from Vieux Lyon — with panoramic views across the city to the Alps on clear days.

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