Lyon
Lyon
Short overview
France's food capital spreads across two rivers, with a Renaissance old town, hidden passageways and a hilltop basilica. Come for the bouchons and markets — and expect fewer crowds and far better value than Paris.
Best times to go
April – June
Riverside terraces open up, the parks bloom and the Nuits de Fourvière festival begins in June.
September – early December
Harvest season for food lovers, then the magical Fête des Lumières light festival in early December.
Good for
food lovers, slow travellers and anyone who wants big-city culture without the Paris prices or crowds.
Skip if
you want headline landmarks or a beach — Lyon's charm is in its food, neighbourhoods and everyday life.
Things to do
Vieux Lyon and the traboules
Explore one of Europe's largest Renaissance quarters through secret passageways once used by silk workers.
2–3 hours
Free
Vieux Lyon and the traboules
Explore one of Europe's largest Renaissance quarters through secret passageways once used by silk workers.
2–3 hours
Free
Vieux Lyon and the traboules
Explore one of Europe's largest Renaissance quarters through secret passageways once used by silk workers.
2–3 hours
Free
Fourvière Hill
Take the funicular up to the basilica and Roman theatres for the best view over the city.
2–3 hours
€2.10 funicular ride
2–3 hours
€2.10 funicular ride
Les Halles Paul Bocuse
A covered market packed with cheese, charcuterie, oysters and pastries named after Lyon's star chef.
1–2 hours
Free entry (tastings €10–30)
1–2 hours
Free entry (tastings €10–30)
Cheapest
€
40
/week
Free walks through the old town, Croix-Rousse and Parc de la Tête d'Or.
Best value
€
150
/week
A Lyon City Card, a guided food tour and a river cruise.
Splurge
€
650
/week
A cooking class, Beaujolais wine tour and an opera night.
Cheapest
€
40
/week
Free walks through the old town, Croix-Rousse and Parc de la Tête d'Or.
Best value
€
150
/week
A Lyon City Card, a guided food tour and a river cruise.
Splurge
€
650
/week
A cooking class, Beaujolais wine tour and an opera night.
Cheapest
€
40
/week
Free walks through the old town, Croix-Rousse and Parc de la Tête d'Or.
Best value
€
150
/week
A Lyon City Card, a guided food tour and a river cruise.
Splurge
€
650
/week
A cooking class, Beaujolais wine tour and an opera night.
Food and drink
Lyon lives for lunch. Eat at traditional bouchons for hearty local dishes, and use set lunch menus to try top restaurants for less.
Breakfast
Cheapest
Praline brioche
A soft brioche studded with bright pink candied almonds, a Lyon speciality.
€
4
Best value
Café and croissant
Standing at the counter of a neighbourhood café.
€
4
Splurge
Market breakfast
Coffee, pastries and fresh fruit from the stalls of the Saint-Antoine market.
€
10
Breakfast
Cheapest
Praline brioche
A soft brioche studded with bright pink candied almonds, a Lyon speciality.
€
4
Best value
Café and croissant
Standing at the counter of a neighbourhood café.
€
4
Splurge
Market breakfast
Coffee, pastries and fresh fruit from the stalls of the Saint-Antoine market.
€
10
Breakfast
Cheapest
Praline brioche
A soft brioche studded with bright pink candied almonds, a Lyon speciality.
€
4
Best value
Café and croissant
Standing at the counter of a neighbourhood café.
€
4
Splurge
Market breakfast
Coffee, pastries and fresh fruit from the stalls of the Saint-Antoine market.
€
10
Lunch
Cheapest
Market sandwich
Rosette de Lyon salami and Saint-Marcellin cheese in a crusty baguette.
€
7
Best value
Bouchon set lunch
Two or three courses of local classics with a pot of Côtes du Rhône.
€
22
Splurge
Starred lunch menu
A Michelin-starred lunch at a fraction of the dinner price.
€
65
Lunch
Cheapest
Market sandwich
Rosette de Lyon salami and Saint-Marcellin cheese in a crusty baguette.
€
7
Best value
Bouchon set lunch
Two or three courses of local classics with a pot of Côtes du Rhône.
€
22
Splurge
Starred lunch menu
A Michelin-starred lunch at a fraction of the dinner price.
€
65
Lunch
Cheapest
Market sandwich
Rosette de Lyon salami and Saint-Marcellin cheese in a crusty baguette.
€
7
Best value
Bouchon set lunch
Two or three courses of local classics with a pot of Côtes du Rhône.
€
22
Splurge
Starred lunch menu
A Michelin-starred lunch at a fraction of the dinner price.
€
65
Dinner
Cheapest
Croix-Rousse bistro
Simple plates and natural wine in the hilltop silk-workers' district.
€
25
Best value
Traditional bouchon dinner
Salade lyonnaise, saucisson brioché and cervelle de canut with local wine.
€
38
Splurge
Paul Bocuse tasting menu
The legendary three-star restaurant just north of the city, unchanged classics included.
€
250
Dinner
Cheapest
Croix-Rousse bistro
Simple plates and natural wine in the hilltop silk-workers' district.
€
25
Best value
Traditional bouchon dinner
Salade lyonnaise, saucisson brioché and cervelle de canut with local wine.
€
38
Splurge
Paul Bocuse tasting menu
The legendary three-star restaurant just north of the city, unchanged classics included.
€
250
Dinner
Croix-Rousse bistro
€
25
Simple plates and natural wine in the hilltop silk-workers' district.
Traditional bouchon dinner
€
38
Salade lyonnaise, saucisson brioché and cervelle de canut with local wine.
Paul Bocuse tasting menu
€
250
The legendary three-star restaurant just north of the city, unchanged classics included.
Cheapest
€
180
/week
Market picnics, café breakfasts and a few cheap bistro dinners.
Best value
€
400
/week
Bouchon lunches most days, market tastings and wine bar evenings.
Splurge
€
1,100
/week
Starred lunches, fine wine and one dinner at Paul Bocuse.
Cheapest
€
180
/week
Market picnics, café breakfasts and a few cheap bistro dinners.
Best value
€
400
/week
Bouchon lunches most days, market tastings and wine bar evenings.
Splurge
€
1,100
/week
Starred lunches, fine wine and one dinner at Paul Bocuse.
Cheapest
€
180
/week
Market picnics, café breakfasts and a few cheap bistro dinners.
Best value
€
400
/week
Bouchon lunches most days, market tastings and wine bar evenings.
Splurge
€
1,100
/week
Starred lunches, fine wine and one dinner at Paul Bocuse.
Don't leave without trying
Don't leave without trying
Quenelle de brochet
A light, soufflé-like pike dumpling baked in a rich crayfish Nantua sauce — the star of every bouchon menu.
Quenelle de brochet
A light, soufflé-like pike dumpling baked in a rich crayfish Nantua sauce — the star of every bouchon menu.
Where to stay
The Presqu'île is central and walkable. Vieux Lyon is atmospheric, and Croix-Rousse feels like a village with its own market.
Cheapest
Hostel in Vieux Lyon
A friendly hostel at the foot of Fourvière with a terrace overlooking the old town.
€224/week
/night
€
32
Cheapest
Hostel in Vieux Lyon
A friendly hostel at the foot of Fourvière with a terrace overlooking the old town.
€224/week
/night
€
32
Best value
Boutique hotel on the Presqu'île
Comfortable rooms between the two rivers, close to Place Bellecour and the best shopping.
€805/week
/night
€
115
Best value
Boutique hotel on the Presqu'île
Comfortable rooms between the two rivers, close to Place Bellecour and the best shopping.
€805/week
/night
€
115
Splurge
Former hospital turned luxury hotel
Five-star rooms in the restored Grand Hôtel-Dieu, with a rooftop bar and courtyard gardens.
€2,660/week
/night
€
380
Splurge
Former hospital turned luxury hotel
Five-star rooms in the restored Grand Hôtel-Dieu, with a rooftop bar and courtyard gardens.
€2,660/week
/night
€
380
Unique stay
Renaissance apartment in Vieux Lyon
Stay in a 16th-century building with painted beams, stone walls and a hidden traboule courtyard.
€1,120/week
/night
€
160
Unique stay
Renaissance apartment in Vieux Lyon
Stay in a 16th-century building with painted beams, stone walls and a hidden traboule courtyard.
€1,120/week
/night
€
160
Unique stay
Renaissance apartment in Vieux Lyon
Stay in a 16th-century building with painted beams, stone walls and a hidden traboule courtyard.
€1,120/week
/night
€
160
Getting around
Lyon is compact and walkable. Metro, trams and funiculars cover the rest, and the hills are steep.
Public transport
Coverage
Four metro lines, seven tram lines and two funiculars run on the TCL network. It's clean, frequent and easy to use.
Single ticket
€
2.10
Weekly pass
€
28
Which modes are available?
Metro
Trams
Fourvière funiculars
Public transport
Coverage
Four metro lines, seven tram lines and two funiculars run on the TCL network. It's clean, frequent and easy to use.
Single ticket
€
2.10
Weekly pass
€
28
Which modes are available?
Metro
Trams
Fourvière funiculars
Car rental
Car usefulness
Not needed in the city. Rent one for Beaujolais villages, the Rhône vineyards or the Alps, and return it before heading back into town.
Price
€
45
/day
Young driver fee
€
25
/day
Parking
€
22
/day
Street parking is metered in the centre, and underground garages cost about €20–25 a day.
Car rental
Car usefulness
Not needed in the city. Rent one for Beaujolais villages, the Rhône vineyards or the Alps, and return it before heading back into town.
Price
€
45
/day
Young driver fee
€
25
/day
Parking
€
22
/day
Street parking is metered in the centre, and underground garages cost about €20–25 a day.
Cheapest
€
28
/week
A weekly TCL pass and plenty of walking.
Best value
€
60
/week
A weekly pass plus the Rhônexpress airport tram both ways.
Splurge
€
350
/week
Taxis, a day of car rental for Beaujolais and private transfers.
Cheapest
€
28
/week
A weekly TCL pass and plenty of walking.
Best value
€
60
/week
A weekly pass plus the Rhônexpress airport tram both ways.
Splurge
€
350
/week
Taxis, a day of car rental for Beaujolais and private transfers.
Cheapest
€
28
/week
A weekly TCL pass and plenty of walking.
Best value
€
60
/week
A weekly pass plus the Rhônexpress airport tram both ways.
Splurge
€
350
/week
Taxis, a day of car rental for Beaujolais and private transfers.
Total costs
Everything you’ll spend once you’re there, per person. Getting there isn’t included.
Cheapest
Lyon, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France
Food costs
€25–€35
Accommodation
€30–€45
Getting around
€4–€6
Activities
€5–€10
Miscellaneous
€5–€10
PER DAY
€69–€106
PER WEEK
€480–€740
Per person in shoulder season. The Fête des Lumières in December fills hotels and pushes prices up.
Cheapest
Lyon, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France
Food costs
€25–€35
Accommodation
€30–€45
Getting around
€4–€6
Activities
€5–€10
Miscellaneous
€5–€10
PER DAY
€69–€106
PER WEEK
€480–€740
Per person in shoulder season. The Fête des Lumières in December fills hotels and pushes prices up.
Cheapest
Lyon, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France
Food costs
€25–€35
Accommodation
€30–€45
Getting around
€4–€6
Activities
€5–€10
Miscellaneous
€5–€10
PER DAY
€69–€106
PER WEEK
€480–€740
Best value
Lyon, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France
Food costs
€50–€70
Accommodation
€100–€130
Getting around
€6–€10
Activities
€15–€30
Miscellaneous
€10–€15
PER DAY
€181–€255
PER WEEK
€1,270–€1,790
Per person in shoulder season. The Fête des Lumières in December fills hotels and pushes prices up.
Best value
Lyon, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France
Food costs
€50–€70
Accommodation
€100–€130
Getting around
€6–€10
Activities
€15–€30
Miscellaneous
€10–€15
PER DAY
€181–€255
PER WEEK
€1,270–€1,790
Per person in shoulder season. The Fête des Lumières in December fills hotels and pushes prices up.
Best value
Lyon, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France
Food costs
€50–€70
Accommodation
€100–€130
Getting around
€6–€10
Activities
€15–€30
Miscellaneous
€10–€15
PER DAY
€181–€255
PER WEEK
€1,270–€1,790
Splurge
Lyon, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France
Food costs
€120–€200
Accommodation
€300–€480
Getting around
€25–€50
Activities
€60–€120
Miscellaneous
€25–€40
PER DAY
€530–€890
PER WEEK
€3,710–€6,230
Per person in shoulder season. The Fête des Lumières in December fills hotels and pushes prices up.
Splurge
Lyon, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France
Food costs
€120–€200
Accommodation
€300–€480
Getting around
€25–€50
Activities
€60–€120
Miscellaneous
€25–€40
PER DAY
€530–€890
PER WEEK
€3,710–€6,230
Per person in shoulder season. The Fête des Lumières in December fills hotels and pushes prices up.
Splurge
Lyon, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France
Food costs
€120–€200
Accommodation
€300–€480
Getting around
€25–€50
Activities
€60–€120
Miscellaneous
€25–€40
PER DAY
€530–€890
PER WEEK
€3,710–€6,230
Good to know
What to expect, what to avoid, and what nobody tells you before you go.
Reputation vs reality
Loved for
Food, wine, the old town and a relaxed, local feel.
Catches visitors off guard
How rich the food is, how steep the hills are and how many restaurants close on weekends.
Common misconception
It's not just a stopover between Paris and the south — it easily deserves a few days on its own.
Reputation vs reality
Loved for
Food, wine, the old town and a relaxed, local feel.
Catches visitors off guard
How rich the food is, how steep the hills are and how many restaurants close on weekends.
Common misconception
It's not just a stopover between Paris and the south — it easily deserves a few days on its own.
Watch out for
Fake bouchons
Look for the 'Bouchon Lyonnais' certification plaque; many places in Vieux Lyon use the name for tourist menus.
Weekend closures
Many traditional restaurants close on Sundays and Mondays. Book ahead for weekend meals.
Steep climbs
Croix-Rousse and Fourvière are steep. Use the funicular and metro to save your legs.
Watch out for
Fake bouchons
Look for the 'Bouchon Lyonnais' certification plaque; many places in Vieux Lyon use the name for tourist menus.
Weekend closures
Many traditional restaurants close on Sundays and Mondays. Book ahead for weekend meals.
Steep climbs
Croix-Rousse and Fourvière are steep. Use the funicular and metro to save your legs.
Common questions
How many days do I need?
Three days covers the old town, Fourvière, Croix-Rousse and plenty of long lunches.
How do I get there from Paris?
The TGV high-speed train takes about two hours from Paris Gare de Lyon, from around €30 if booked early.
What is a traboule?
A covered passageway through buildings and courtyards. Many in Vieux Lyon and Croix-Rousse are open to visitors during the day.
Is the Lyon City Card worth it?
Yes if you'll visit several museums and use transport. It also includes a river cruise and guided tours.
Common questions
How many days do I need?
Three days covers the old town, Fourvière, Croix-Rousse and plenty of long lunches.
How do I get there from Paris?
The TGV high-speed train takes about two hours from Paris Gare de Lyon, from around €30 if booked early.
What is a traboule?
A covered passageway through buildings and courtyards. Many in Vieux Lyon and Croix-Rousse are open to visitors during the day.
Is the Lyon City Card worth it?
Yes if you'll visit several museums and use transport. It also includes a river cruise and guided tours.
Money and payments
Currency
Euro (€). ATMs are easy to find across the city centre.
Cards vs cash
Cards work almost everywhere. Keep a little cash for market stalls and some small bouchons.
Tipping
Service is included. Round up or leave a few euros for good service.
Tourist tax
€0.80–5 per person per night depending on hotel category, added to your bill.
Money and payments
Currency
Euro (€). ATMs are easy to find across the city centre.
Cards vs cash
Cards work almost everywhere. Keep a little cash for market stalls and some small bouchons.
Tipping
Service is included. Round up or leave a few euros for good service.
Tourist tax
€0.80–5 per person per night depending on hotel category, added to your bill.
Ready to pick your next destination?
Browse every destination in the Passage catalogue and find the one that fits your trip.
Ready to pick your next destination?
Browse every destination in the Passage catalogue and find the one that fits your trip.
Ready to pick your next destination?
Browse every destination in the Passage catalogue and find the one that fits your trip.