Lyon and the Alps: Places to Explore
- Overview
- Itinerary
- Places to Explore
- Sights
- Restaurants
- Hotels
- Entertainment
- Shopping
- Travel Tips
- Features
- Fodor's Choice
- Deals
- French Phrases
Photo: Patrick Poendl/iStockphoto/Thinkstock
Lyon
The city's setting at the confluence of the Saône and the Rhône is a spectacular riverine landscape overlooked from the heights to the west by the imposing Notre-Dame de Fourvière church and from the north by the hilltop neighborhood of La Croix Rousse. Meanwhile, the La Confluence Project at the southern tip of the Presqu'île, or peninsula, the land between the Saône and the Rhône, has reclaimed (from the rivers) nearly a square mile of center-city real estate that has become a neighborhood of parks, shops, restaurants, and cultural sites. Another attraction is Lyon's extraordinary dining scene—the city has more good restaurants per square mile than any other European city except Paris.
Lyon at a Glance
Sights
- Basilique de Notre-Dame-de-Fourvière
- Basilique de Saint-Martin d'Ainay
- Cathédrale St-Jean
- Centre d'Histoire de la Résistance et de la Déportation (Museum of the History of the Resistance and the Deportation)
- Hôtel Bullioud
- Hôtel de Ville (Town Hall)
- Hôtel Paterin
- Institut Lumière
- Jardin Archéologique (Archaeological Garden)
- Jardin des Chartreux
- Jardin des Plantes (Botanical Garden)
- Maison des Canuts (Silk Weavers' Museum)
- Maison du Crible
- Musée des Arts Décoratifs (Decorative Arts Museum)
- Musée des Beaux-Arts (Fine Arts Museum)
- Musée des Confluences (Confluence Museum)
- Musée Gallo-Romain de Fourvière (Gallo-Roman Museum)
- Musée Historique des Tissus (Textile Arts Museum)
- Musée Urbain Tony Garnier (Tony Garnier Urban Museum)
- Musées Gadagne (Lyon Historical Museum and Puppet Museum)
- Opéra de Lyon
- Parc de la Tête d'Or (Golden Head Park)
- Place Bellecour
- Place des Terreaux
- Rue du Bœuf
- Rue St-Jean
- St-Paul
- Théâtres Romains (Roman Theaters)
- Tour Métallique (Metal Tower)
Shopping
Entertainment
Elsewhere in Lyon and the Alps
See Also
Free Fodor's Newsletter
Subscribe today for weekly travel inspiration, tips, and special offers.
Fodor's Trip Planning Ideas
- Weekend Getaways: Fodor's Recommends the Best Weekend Escapes in the US
- Great American Vacation: Find Your Next U.S. Trip with Fodor's
- 80 Degrees: Fodor's Helps You Find Your Best Beach Vacation Spots
- Go List: Fodor's Top 25 Places to Go in 2013
- Hotel Awards 2012: Fodor's 100 Top Hotels
- Best of Europe: Fodor's Picks the Best Places to Visit in Europe
Travel Deals in Lyon and the Alps
- Book in Lyon Fr $103+/Nt Save with Hotels.com, $82/night less
- Save Big This May! Book 3 Nts in Lyon at Berlioz Fr $104+/Nt Save with Expedia, $20/night less
- Hot Deal on a 7 Nt Cruise! Uniworld Boutique Cruises Fr $3,089 Expedia
- 4-Star Lyon Metropole Fr $260+/Nt — $260 Hotels.com
- Lyon Savings! Book at Novotel Lyon La Part Dieu Fr $133+/Nt — $133 Expedia


