Lyon Travel Guide

The heights of Fourvière and old Lyon

Beginning with a stunning view of Lyon and a healthy respect for the city's history, this tour will begin at the top of Fourvière. To get there, take the metro to "Vieux Lyon", then take the funicular (a cable railway moving up and down a steep slope).

From the Esplanade de Fourvière you can see the town center and the suburbs beyond the Tour de la Part-Dieu, as well as the slopes of the Croix Rousse. Other places to visit in the area are the Basilique de Fourvière which is a mix of architectural styles (gothic and byzantine), a 12th century oratory, an 18th century chapel crowned with the Virgin of Fabisch and the Musée d'Art Sacré for more examples of religious artwork.

Keep climbing Fourvière until you reach the rue Cléberg, where the Parc archéologique de Fourvière is located. Of particular interest is the Musée de la Civilisation Gallo-Romaine, which was built close to the remains of the Vetus Forum where Lugdunum (the original city site) was built. As you leave the museum, head along the rue Radisson and the montée du Télégraphe to travel around the park, where the roman Theater and Odeon, the Sanctuary of Cybel, and the aqueducts can be seen.

Next, the rue des Farges leads to the place des Minimes. Follow the first montée du Gourguillon to reach the famous and historic Vieux Lyon neighborhood.

At the bottom of the slope you'll find the place Saint-Jean to your left, where you can visit the Cathédrale Saint-Jean, which contains a 16th century astronomical clock. Just behind the building, you'll find the Jardin archeologique St-Jean, which holds remnants of the early Christian period: thermal baths, a baptistery...

Climb back up the rue Saint Jean to find yourself in the heart of one of Europe's largest collections of Renaissance buildings. The facades of numbers 37 and 21 (Le Viste house) and the courtyards of numbers 58, 52, 42, 28, 24 (Laurencin house) and 17 are definitely worth visiting. Just push open the doors and step inside! You can also follow the Traboules St-Jean, going from one street to the next by stepping through the entrances and courtyards of the buildings. At number 54, the Grande Traboule leads onto the rue du Boeuf. Number 27 goes to the rue des Trois Maries. 24 also leads to the rue du Boeuf (visit number 23 on the way, which holds the Tour Rose and its hanging gardens). Stop at the place du Gouvernement to enjoy the facades of numbers 5, 7 and 1, and if it strikes your fancy, use the "traboule" at numbers 2 or 3.

At the end of the rue Saint Jean, at the place du Change, go down the rue Soufflot until you reach the rue Gadagne, where you'll find the Musée Historique de Lyon inside the 16th century Renaissance Hôtel de Gadagne, as well as the Musée International de la Marionnette.

Other areas worth visiting and exploring (if the day isn't already over!) are the Saint Paul quarter to the north and the Saint Georges quarter to the south.

After such a long walk, anyone would be at least a bit hungry... Fortunately, in this touristy area, there are many "bouchons" (restaurants) and if the tour starts feeling overwhelming or long, you can always recover on the terrace of a cafe or browse in the area's many shops.



The Presqu'île

Downtown Lyon, called the "Presqu'île", lies between the Rhône and the Saône and is richly influenced by present trends and historic culture.

Start out at the Place Bellecour, where a 17th century statue of Louis XIV on horseback dominates the square. Go down the rue de La Barre, then Bellecordière and Paufique. On the rue Paufique, at number 28, you'll find the house of the poet Louise Labé, who was at the center of Lyon's cultural activity in the 16th century.

Take a little time to visit the 13th century Hôtel Dieu to your left, where Rabelais worked as a doctor. Along with the Belle Cordière, as Louise Labé was known, he was one of the literary masters of his time (creating remarkable works such as Gargantua and Pantagruel). This building houses the Musee des Hospices Civils de Lyon.

As you return to the rue de la République, take a look at the Passage de l'Arc, a traboule (shortcut) leading to the shop-filled rue de Brest.

Go down the rue de la République until you reach the Place des Cordeliers, where you can visit the Eglise Saint-Bonaventure, an old Franciscan convent, and opposite it the Palais de la Bourse, a great financial center in the 19th century. Walk up the street commonly called "la Ré" and you'll find at its northern end the Opéra built by Chenavard on the Soufflot theater, which has more recently been modernized by Jean Nouvel. On the Place Pradel, to the left of the Opera, you can see César's Patineur.

Just opposite, the Hôtel de Ville de Lyon and its second Empire balconies overlook the Place des Terreaux, which, since its renovation by Buren and Drevet, is now home to water jets and a Bartholdi fountain.

To the left as you leave the town hall, you'll see the Palais Saint-Pierre which houses the Musée des Beaux-Arts, a museum nearly as important as the Louvre in Paris in its contribution to artistic culture.

As you go back towards Bellecour, take the rue Paul Chenavard, and admire the flamboyant gothic architecture of the St-Nizier.

Still on the way back, you'll find the Musee de l'Imprimerie et de la Banque inside the attractive Renaissance-era Hôtel de la Couronne. This museum, along with the whole neighborhood (with for instance the passage des Imprimeurs at 56 rue Mercière), is a reminder that Lyon has been a center of innovation within the printing industry since the 15th century.

Continue along your route until you reach the Place des Jacobins, whose fountain dates from 1886. Take the rue Jean Fabre to your right to visit the Théâtre des Célestins, where an authentic Renaissance interior is worth seeing (Italian style balconies and boxes)...

After this short detour, go back to the place des Jacobins... the shop-filled rue Emile Zola will lead you merrily back to Bellecour.

You have completed the loop. If you feel like it, make a quick trip to the rue Victor Hugo, located on the other side of the square, to browse the quaint boutiques. If you like antiques, be sure to wander down the nearby rue Auguste Comte.2008-08-02T07:29:22.000 27