Sightseeing
Overview
Touring the city of Lyon will easily keep even the most enthusiastic
sightseer busy for a long weekend. Any sightseeing trip should begin
with Fourvière Hill, now at the heart of
Lyon’s UNESCO World Heritage Site. Access
to the summit is on a funicular railway, known as la ficelle
(the string), from the station in avenue Adolphe Max. This leads
to the foot of the Basilica of Fourvière.
Coming down from Fourvière Hill, the heritage area extends
to include Vieux Lyon (Old Lyon), Croix-Rousse
and the Presqu’île area.
Old
Lyon is the largest Renaissance quarter located in France.
It is also notable for the St-Jean Cathedral and
the famous traboules, the covered walkways linking entire blocks
of houses. The area of Croix-Rousse is the quarter
where the canuts (or the silk-weavers) worked. At the centre of
place de la Croix-Rousse is a memorial to Joseph-Marie Jacquard,
who developed a new type of silk loom at the beginning of the 19th
century, which cemented Lyon’s place as a centre for the silk
trade.
The Presqu’île area is home to the
Museum of Fine Arts, as well as luxurious boutiques,
such as Cartier and Hermès,
which can be found on rue du Président Herriot.
Lyon also boasts a large number of excellent restaurants, some of
them among the finest in France to display the Michelin
stars. Probably the most famous restaurant in Lyon is chef Paul
Bocuse’s Restaurant Paul Bocuse, 40 rue de
la Plage, Collonges-au-Mont-d’Or (telephone number: (04) 7242
9090, fax number: (04) 7227 8587, website: www.bocuse.fr).
If budgets do not stretch that far, a ‘must’ for any
tourist is to enjoy some of Lyon’s specialities, such as quenelles
(a seasoned ball or dumpling, usually made of meat), in a bouchon
or traditional restaurant.
Four museums, the Natural History Museum, Saint
Roimain en Gal, the Gallo Romain Museum
at Fourvière, and the Doll Museum now offer
free admission on Thursday (website: www.rhone.fr).
Tourist Information
Office du Tourisme
Place Bellecour
Telephone number: (04) 7277 6969.
Fax number: (04) 7842 0432.
E-mail: lyoncvb@lyon-france.com
Website: www.lyon-france.com
Opening hours: Monday-Saturday 1000-1900 hrs,
Sunday 1000-1800 hrs.
There are also tourist information offices at Avenue Adolphe Max,
in Old Lyon, and at 3 avenue Aristide Briand, in Villeurbanne.
Passes
The
Lyon City Card is valid for 1, 2 or 3 days at a cost of
€18, €28 and €38 respectively. This card allows free
and unlimited use of city transport, free access to 19 museums,
guided tours and river cruises. A junior’ version,
for those aged 4 to18 years, is available at a cost of €9,
€14 and €19. The Lyon City Card also includes short noon
concerts at the Lyon National Opera or at the Auditorium
de Lyon. Cards are available for sale at the Tourist Office
(see above) and at several other locations in the city, notably
the Lyon TCL (public transport offices) agencies
at Part Dieu, Bellecour, Perrache, Vieux
Lyon and Republique, as well as at the
reception desks of many hotels. <
Key
Attractions
Basilique
de Notre Dame de Fourvière (Basilia of Fourvière)
The Basilica of Fourvière dominates the city. It is located
on top of the hill where the Romans first set up camp and is visible
from almost any point in the city centre. During the Franco-Prussian
War, the Catholics of Lyon vowed that they would build a giant church
on Fourvière Hill, in honour of the Virgin Mary, if she would
spare the city from the enemy. Lyon was spared and so the church
was built. The basilica was inaugurated in 1896 and represents a
somewhat chaotic mixture of styles and materials. Even though it
has been much criticised for its rather confusing architecture and
has been given nicknames like ‘the upside-down elephant',
it remains an important focal point in the lives of the Lyonnais.
The adjoining esplanade gives a panoramic view of Lyon’s different
quarters. A free guided tour is available from April to September
at 1400 hrs.
Place de Fourvière
Telephone number: (04) 7825 5182. Fax number: (04) 7238 2835.
Transport: Métro Fourvière.
Opening
hours: Daily 0630-1900 hrs.
Admission:
Free.
Cathédrale St-Jean
This beautiful cathedral is located at the foot of the Fourvière
Hill. It was built between the late 12th and 15th centuries, on
the remains of a fifth-century church, offering a perfect illustration
of the transition from Roman to Gothic architecture. The crypt provides
the opportunity for visitors to see the foundations of the cathedral.
The stone medallions and glass mosaics are worth a much closer look,
with some of them dating from the 14th century. The cathedral has
maintained a 14th-century astronomical clock equipped with a surprisingly
sophisticated system of automatons.
Place St-Jean
Telephone number: (04) 7842 2825. Fax number: (04) 7838 0741.
Transport: Métro Vieux Lyon.
Opening hours:
Monday-Friday 0800-1200 hrs and 1400-1930 hrs, Saturday and Sunday
0800-1200 hrs and 1400-1700 hrs.
Admission:
Free.
Musée des Beaux-Arts (Museum of Fine Arts)
The Museum of Fine Arts is situated in the very heart of Lyon and
is housed in the former Abbey of the Ladies of St-Pierre. The origins
of this former Benedictine convent stretch back to the seventh century,
although it was entirely rebuilt in the 17th century. Known as ‘little
Louvre’, the museum, with its 7000 sq metres (75,320 sq ft)
of exhibition space, offers a complete retrospective of Ancient
Greek and Egyptian arts and civilisations, as well as sculptures
and paintings from the Middle Ages to the present day. Although
the museum boasts a varied collection of different art forms and
is dominated by paintings. An overview of European painting from
the 14th century to the second half of the 20th is on display, with
works from artists such as Tintoretto, Rubens, Manet, Monet, Picasso
and many others. Lyonnais painters are also well represented.
20 place des Terreaux
Telephone number: (04) 7210 1740. Fax number: (04) 7828 1245.
Website: www.mairie-lyon.fr
Transport: Métro Hôtel de Ville.
Opening
hours: Wednesday-Monday 1030-1800 hrs.
Admission:
€4 (concessions available).
Musée
de la Civilisation Gallo-Romaine (Museum of Gallo-Roman Civilisation)
On the archaeological site of Fourvière, the museum contains
the richest archaeological collections from Gaul after the National
Museum of St-Germain-en-Laye. The museum was built around the remains
of the archaeological site, partly underground, with subterranean
passages through the site connecting the various exhibits. Its collection
comes primarily from discoveries made in Lyon and throughout the
Rhône-Alpes region. Of a special interest are the extraordinary
series of inscriptions, statues, mosaics, sarcophagi and everyday
objects of Gallo-Roman life. One of the museum’s most prized
possessions is the Claudius Tablet, which contains fragments of
a speech made by Emperor Claudius in front of the Roman Senate.
17 rue Cléberg
Telephone number: (04) 7238 8190. Fax number: (04) 7238 7742.
Website: www.rhone.fr
Transport: Métro Vieux Lyon, then funicular.
Opening
hours: Tuesday-Sunday 1000-1700hrs (November-April, Tuesday-Sunday
1000-1800 hrs (March-October).
Admission: €3.80,
free on Thursday.
Hôtel
de Ville (City Hall)
The construction of the City Hall began during 1646, although it
was renovated later on, in the 17th century, following partial destruction
by fire in 1674. The original structure was Louis XIII in style,
however, later embellishments made the outside more elaborate and
Italianate, with sculptured pediments and domes. The interior, with
its extravagant Baroque-style decor, is the result of 19th-century
renovation. Highlights include Thomas Blachet’s 17th-century
allegorical frescoes and the most impressive room, the ‘Grand
Salon’. However, the great staircase is the unmissable
centrepiece and visitors should look up at the vaulted ceiling celebrating
‘L’éternité de la gloire de Lyon’
(‘the eternal glory of Lyon’). The bell tower is also
very impressive, with 3 of the original 1675 bells and a 20th-century
carillon.
Place de la Comédie
Telephone number: (04) 7210 3030. Fax number: (04) 7210 3153.
E-mail: webmaster@mairie-lyon.fr
Website: www.mairie-lyon.fr
Transport: Métro Hôtel de Ville.
Opening
hours: No individual visits are possible – group
visits must be organised 2 weeks in advance through the Tourist
Office.
Admission: €110 (for a group of
up to 30 people).
Centre d’Histoire
de la Résistance et de la Déportation (Centre for
the History of the Resistance and Deportation, CHRD)
This well designed museum puts Lyon’s role in the resistance
and deportation of World War II into context. Ironically, the museum
is situated in the former headquarters of the Gestapo, the place
where the local Gestapo leader, Klaus Barbie, known as the ‘Butcher
of Lyon’, tortured or killed his victims and sent thousands
of others to concentration camps. The curators of the permanent
exhibition have made a conscious effort to illustrate the somewhat
ambiguous position of France during its occupation, while also portraying
the importance of Lyon as a centre of organised French resistance.
14 avenue Berthelot
Telephone number: (04) 7273 3354.
E-mail: chrd@mairie-lyon.fr
Website: www.mairie-lyon.fr
Transport: Métro Jean Macé.
Opening
hours: Wednesday-Sunday 0900-1730 hrs.
Admission:
€4
Further Distractions
Maison des Canuts (Silk-Weavers’
House)
Maison des Canuts is both a museum of silk weaving and a co-operative,
created to preserve the traditions of the industry and sell its
own designs. It has an important collection of historical textiles
and houses examples of the famous Jacquard loom.
With a guided tour narrated by authentic canuts or silk-weavers,
this museum offers a fascinating insight into the silk industry.
10-12 rue d’Ivry
Telephone number: (04) 7828 6204. Fax number: (04) 7828 1693.
E-mail: musées@lyon.cci.fr
Transport: Métro Croix Rousse.
Opening hours:
Monday-Friday 0830-1200 hrs and 1400-1830 hrs, Saturday
0900-1200 hrs and 1400-1800 hrs.
Admission:
€3
Musée des Tissus
(Textiles Museum)
Since 1946, this museum has been located in a 17th-century mansion,
which used to be the residence of the Governor of Lyon. The museum
houses a remarkable collection of over 1000 textile samples from
both Eastern and Western civilisations throughout the ages and tells
the story of textiles, with particular attention on silk-manufacturing
from the Renaissance to the present day and the development of Lyon
as the European silk capital.
34 rue de la Charité
Telephone number: (04) 7838 4200. Fax number: (04) 7240 2512.
Transport: Métro Ampère Victor Hugo.
Opening
hours: Tuesday-Sunday 1000-1730 hrs.
Admission:
€4.50. |
