What To Do And What Not To Do In Lyon
In this blog, I share a brief overview of our itinerary from our recent visit to Lyon, including an honest review of the attractions we had to visit. These include the stunning Fourvière hill with its Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourvière, the charming Old Lyon with its Renaissance architecture, and the unique traboules, which are covered passageways that silk workers originally used to transport their goods.
First and foremost, Lyon offers a unique experience that sets it apart from other major cities in France. The city's cuisine and gastronomy, historical and architectural landmarks, including the districts of Old Lyon and Fourvière hill, are all reasons to visit. However, what truly captivated me were the 'traboules,' covered passageways that were originally used by silk workers to transport their goods. These hidden gems are a thrill to discover in the city.
Day 1
We took the train into the Part-Dieu station in Lyon. The train, which had a few stops, was about 5 hours in length and cost about $69 CAD. There were some shorter alternatives at a higher cost if you wanted to make the splurge.
Upon our arrival, we made use of Lyon's efficient local transportation system to reach our accommodations, which were a bit further from the Old Town. Despite the higher cost due to a major event, we found the 24-hour transit pass to be a great investment. For just 6 Euros, we had unlimited access to trams, trains, and buses, making it a convenient and affordable way to explore the city.
Recommendation 1: 24-hour transit pass for seeing all major sights in 1 day, super doable and affordable.
After getting settled, we used our dinner in Vieux Lyon (old town), one of Europe’s biggest renaissance neighbourhoods and the home of famous attractions including the Cathedral of Saint Jean and Bouchon Lyonnais AKA traditional food.
Try to stay as close to Old Town as possible, as the outskirts of the city are a lot less well kept (although not unsafe or dirty).
Day 2
We started our morning by heading to The Food Hall, which came highly recommended. I would love to know if anyone can comment on this, as it happened to be closed when we arrived. We ended up grabbing a coffee and pastry before hopping onto a bus headed towards the famous stairs—Escalier Mermet (blue staircase).
According to Trip Advisor, which I often look to as the Holy Grail of reviews, this staircase ranks only #151 of 316 things to do in Lyon, despite it blowing up our TikTok pages as one of the top art pieces in the area. The stairs, just one example of stair art in the city, were painted back in May 2019 by Wenc, a street artist.
Personally, I think the stairs were an okay stop. Good on a walking tour, but nothing you would spend more than a few minutes at.
The city is also known for all the murals. The one we stumbled across is La Fresque des Lyonnais, or the Mural of Lyonnais. This mural is a building mural covering the back and side of a bright yellow building on the 1starrondissement and is recognized as one of the most popular historical monuments for visitors. This incredible mural painting depicts 30 famous personalities from Lyon, including Antoine de Saint-Exupery, l’Abbé Pierre and Paul Bocuse).
The following recommendation was the Basilica. We took the time to walk (which included a steep set of stairs and several turns down roads to find). As it turns out, there is a tram you can use that is included in your day pass, which I would recommend as an alternative. If you like churches, the inside of this one was quite intricate.
Next up, we scouted out the traboules or secret passages. Borrowed from a blog, this is the guide I used to find where the secret passages are:
27 Rue St Jean connecting with 6 Rue des Trois Maries
54 Rue St Jean with 27 Rue de Boeuf
31 Rue du Boeuf with 14 Rue de la Bombarde
2 Place du Gouvernement with 10 Quai Romain Rolland
9 Rue des Trois Maries with 17 Quai Romain Rolland
54 Rue St Jean was the easiest to find (pictured here) and marked with the fold plaque. Most of these are closed, but we happened to time it when someone was coming out and wandering our way through them before finding out that fact. But if you happen to stumble through one - VERY COOL!
Afterwards we stopped for lunch at Brunet Lyon. Perhaps our food tastes are not up to par or we ordered wrong but we found the food was okay, and nothing stellar. We tried escargots and the pork belly which were decent for the price.
After lunch, you can visit Place des Jacobins known as the prettiest square.
Great spot for people watching, but maybe a 10-15 minute spot at most.
Other Notable Mentions (Things That We Saw on TikTok and Didn’t Do)
Food spots including La Mere Jean and Daniel et Denise for local bouchons. It is recommended that you make a reservation if you visit either since they do tend to fill up.
Other possible attractions are taking in the view Of The Colline De La Croix-Rouss or going for a picnic At PARC DE LA TETE D’OR.
Personally this was enough time to try some food and see the major sights. At this point the Lyon airport offers many international flights making it a great place to continue your European vacation (for inspo check out the 16 day Balkan and Central European itinerary here).
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is Lyon France Best Known For?
The food!
Is There Anything To See in Lyon, France?
The old town (Vieux Lyon) has beautiful buildings that hold a UNESCO World Heritage Site status, with a few of the most popular sites including the Lyon Cathedral, and the Basiliek.
Is Lyon Walkable?
Yes, all of the attractions are within walking distance from each other. However, the terrain can be uneven. It is worth noting that the public transit is very easy to use and a great alternative for getting around.
