Trip Report: How I Spent Four Nights in Lyon, France
Last summer, I spent a few days in Lyon, and it quickly became one of my favorite cities. Maybe it’s the way the heart of it is wedged between two rivers (I think I could be happy just wandering back and forth across bridges all day), or the winding cobblestone streets of Old Lyon, or the Roman amphitheaters sitting atop a hill overlooking the city. Or maybe it was the delicious food and the best ice cream I’ve ever had. Whatever it was, Lyon has something magical that makes me want to return someday.
I visited Lyon in the beginning of June, arriving on a Sunday afternoon and leaving Thursday morning. It wasn’t perfectly planned - Monday was a religious holiday, and many sights were closed Monday and/or Tuesday. That means that I had a two days packed with museums on either end of the trip, and two days in the middle that were slower. Normally, I would have planned differently, but because this was a segment in the middle of a larger trip, I didn’t have a lot of flexibility on the timing. And it worked out fine. Honestly, the slower pace in the middle was needed at that point of the trip.
Here is how I spent my time:
Sunday
I arrived around noon by train and took a taxi to my hotel. After dropping off my bags, I headed to Rue Mercière, a pedestrian street with lots of restaurants, and had lunch outside at a lovely café. Normally I would spend my first day in a new place wandering around and getting my bearings instead of rushing off to museums, but because of the timing, I headed right to the Tourism Office to pick up my Lyon City Card and then headed to Lugdunum, the Gallo-Roman Museum at the top of the hill overlooking the city. I explored the Roman theaters and then headed to the museum, which is definitely worth a visit.
After the museum, I wandered around Old Lyon and got ice cream at Terre Adélice, which became my new favorite ice cream place (I recommend the madeleine and speculoos flavors). I took the funicular up the hill again to the Basilica of Notre Dame of Fourvière. I didn’t visit the church but admired the ornate façade and checked out the amazing view over Lyon from the neighboring patio.
I took the funicular back down and wandered along the Saône River until it was time for dinner, then crossed back over to Old Lyon and went to Restaurant Café du Soleil. I didn’t have a reservation but got lucky and got a table. I ordered a traditional Lyonnais quenelle and had a lovely conversation with the Australian couple at the table next to mine.
The Roman amphitheaters at Lugdunum with Notre Dame of Fourvière in the background.
Monday
The collection at the Musée Soieries Brochier.
Since it was a Monday and a holiday, I was able to go at a slower pace. I wandered to the Place des Terreaux, which has a spectacular fountain sculpted by Bartholdi (famous for the Statue of Liberty). I headed for the Musée Soieries Brochier and got lost in the Grand Hotel-Dieu on the way, a beautiful complex with peaceful courtyards, shops, and restaurants. I made it to the museum, which depicts the history of the silk industry in Lyon and has beautiful couture dresses by Dior and others, as well as other beautiful silks. It’s a small museum and doesn’t take long to see, but worth visiting if you’re interested in textiles or art.
Next, I took the metro to Parc de la Tête d’Or on the left bank of the Rhône, and spent awhile just wandering around the park, one of my favorite activities anywhere. I saw a beautiful rose garden and even stumbled into a zoo right in the middle of the park!
I decided to walk back to my hotel (I always do too much walking on vacation), and stopped at Les Halles de Lyon de Paul Bocuse on the way. I’m glad I got to see the famous food market, but it would have been better to visit on a different day as many vendors were closed.
In the afternoon, I did a walking tour of Old Lyon, and got to see some of the famous traboules, hidden covered passageways used by silk workers to transport products and later used by the Resistance during World War II. I followed up the walking tour with another trip to Terre Adélice (of course).
Tuesday
This was another slower-paced day as many sights are closed on Tuesdays. I slept in and had an elegant breakfast at Le Grand Café des Négociants, then wandered around and did a little shopping.
In the afternoon, I did another walking tour, which ended at some of the incredible murals in Lyon. I definitely recommend checking out the murals, especially the Fresque des Lyonnais, which portrays many famous people from Lyon, including Antoine de Saint-Exupéry with The Little Prince, the Lumière brothers, who invented the first motion-picture camera, and Paul Bocuse, the famous chef.
For dinner, I decided to follow in the footsteps of some of the locals and got takeout for a picnic by the Saône.
Wednesday
Since this was my last full day in Lyon, I had to cram in the museums I didn’t get to do Monday or Tuesday. I started the day at the Resistance and Deportation History Center, a fascinating look at Lyon’s role as the center of the French Resistance during World War II. I could have spent all day there, but there was a large school group behind me and I had another museum to get to before my City Card expired.
After a quick lunch, I headed for the Museum of Fine Arts of Lyon, a wonderful museum with a beautiful center courtyard. I love art museums and also could have spent much more time here, but I was getting tired, even with a break for an éclair on the terrace overlooking the courtyard.
I headed back to Rue Mercière for dinner, and spent the evening wandering through Old Lyon and along the Saône before heading to bed.
Dinner at Mozzato on Rue Mercière.
Practicalities
Languages spoken: French (although most people speak English as well)
Currency: Euro
When to go: May-June and September-October are ideal, but honestly, I think you could visit Lyon any time of year and enjoy it. During the Fête des Lumières in December, lights are projected on many city buildings and windows fill up with candles. During the Nuits de Fourvière in June and July, concerts take place at the Roman amphitheaters and other venues around the city. (I recommend booking well in advance for either of these festivals!)
Have you been to Lyon before? Would you like to go? I’d love to hear your thoughts!
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Crossing the Saône on one of the bridges to Old Lyon.