Located 500 km (310 miles) from Paris, Lyon is considered the gastronomic capital of France. The beautiful city is one of the most underrated destinations in all of France and doesn’t get nearly the tourist attention of Paris or Provence despite being France’s third largest city.
The heart of the city is nestled between two rivers, the Rhône and the Saône. Lyon’s Old Town (or Vieux Lyon) is at the bottom of a steep hill. With a beautiful basilica perched on top of the hill and a cathedral at the foot of the hill, it definitely makes for some lovely pictures! The historic Old Town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
We selected Lyon as the first stop in our France road trip itinerary for its proximity to Avignon and Carcassonne which were to be part of our adventure. We had also not previously been, and we wanted to try the local food!
Getting there
While we first thought about driving to Lyon from Paris, we quickly realized that the high-speed TGV (très grande vitesse or very high speed) train could get us there in less than half the time. Anticipating that we would be tired after the overnight flight made it an obvious choice.
The TGV trains literally fly along the tracks at over 250 km/h and with few stops and are a good way to reach most of the larger cities. There are many per day and the cost was actually less than driving if you consider parking, gas and rental car fees. It was honestly a great option and we found it to be smooth and comfortable. It brought us right into the heart of Lyon, a mere 10-minute taxi ride from our hotel.
Grand Hôtel-Dieu
We opted to stay at the famous and historic Intercontinental Hotel Dieu which is conveniently located near the Old Town. It was great and thanks to a new credit card promo we get free nights and lots of perks at Intercontinental hotels. After our pleasant stay I am confident in saying that we’ll be staying in more Intercontinental hotels without a doubt.
The hotel itself is a historic site having served as one of the main hospitals in France for over 800 years. The world’s very first X-ray was performed here. The building became a national historic site in 2011 and after archeological excavations were performed the current Intercontinental hotel was built and it opened in 2019. In addition to the hotel, the 375 meter long (1230 ft) building houses upscale shops and restaurants in a modern mall.
It was amazing to stay in such a historic site and to see how they had done such a great job preserving and restoring the old walls and statues. Rooms and hallways were built into and around ancient stone walls giving the place a modern feel while respecting and preserving the history.
You can still visit the old Hôtel-Dieu chapel and cloister garden. They are located just behind the hotel entrance through the courtyard and it’s well worth exploring these grounds while staying here.
Upon our arrival we were excited to get out and start to explore Lyon itself. We walked along the Place Bellecour and across the bridge into the Old Town which was just a few minutes away. We took the historic funicular up the steep slope to visit the beautiful basilica on the top of the hill.
Basilica of Notre-Dame of Fourvière
The basilica was really the overall attraction that we loved the most on our visit to Lyon and we actually came up three times (every day!).
Once, we even walked up the steps, which was really quite an ordeal! We were proud of the fact that we could still make it up, even with the young runners running up and down passing us.
Under the Roman Empire, Lyon was known as Lugdunum (Hill of Light). The first Fourvière chapel was built on this same hilltop site at the end of the 12th century. The beautiful new church was elevated to the rank of basilica in 1897.
In 1642 many surrounding areas were affected by the plague and scurvy for almost a decade. The city prayed to be spared, and it was. Since then, every year on September 8 the city’s aldermen climb the hill on foot to the church as a tribute, and they have been doing this for 384 years! It is called the Aldermen’s Pledge! We did that climb once and let me tell you you’ve got to be in good shape!
The Basilica of Notre-Dame of Fourvière is an impressive Byzantine, Gothic, and Romanesque-inspired construction with impressive stained-glass windows throughout. Beautiful mosaics adorn the walls and marble floor, and it was spectacular. We loved all the lions (after all, a symbol of Lyon!).
Be sure to visit the crypt too. They had an exposition about the Shroud of Turin.
It is open from 7am to 8pm and entrance is free.
Gallo-Roman Vestiges of Lugdunum
After visiting the basilica it’s just a short walk down the hill to the Antique Roman Theatre de Fourvière.
Lyon was a Roman city in the times of Gaul, and this ancient theater (which hosts summer concerts) is an incredibly well-preserved relic.
Going down was much easier than coming up. Follow the path that goes through the Roman amphitheater and museum.
Do take an hour to visit the exhibits here but be sure to also walk around the ruins of the amphitheater itself and make your way down through the area that used to be the baths. It is a good reminder about how much history there is over here!
Vieux Lyon (Old Lyon)
At the bottom of the hill in Old Lyon, you’ll find Lyon’s Cathedral (Saint John’s Cathedral). Modest on the inside and with its medieval construction it is reminiscent of the Notre-Dame in Paris.
Be sure to see the astronomical clock on display that rings at 2, 4, and 6pm. You’ll also see the ruins of the walls of another even more ancient church next to the site out in the open.
Take time to wander around Vieux Lyon’s cobblestone alleyways lined with restaurants and shops. The whole area is a UNESCO-listed district with lovely architecture from the 15thand 16th centuries.
Lyon is also known as the historic capital of silk. In the 16th century, King Francis I decreed that Lyon would have a monopoly on silk production. Its skilled artisans (called canuts in French) were famous for high quality silk weaving, and it remained Europe’s fashion center for silk for centuries. To this day, it is where the famous silk scarves for Hermes are made, often considered the finest quality in the world.
While the silk trade played a big part in Lyon’s history, many silk businesses remain, including many mom-and-pop shops. We found a very nice local family-run company (CathAm) that designed and fabricated their own silk scarves in the Old Town, and I immediately fell in love with one. Can your guess which one? Anyone that knows me well would agree that this leopard-patterned print had my name on it!
Lyon, capital of gastronomy
That evening, we wanted to discover some of the reasons Lyon is also known as the gastronomic capital of France. We were determined to try one of the famous Bouchons and to sample some of the local delicacies.
We found the Restaurant Comptoir Des Marronniers in the Presqu’île district which had a great ambiance. And we were welcomed with open arms as cousins when our French-Canadian accent was recognized!
Some of the local specialties we tried
- The onion soup: Very much like we’re accustomed to and served in beautiful bowls complete with lion’s heads. Very fitting for Lyon! It was thicker than we usually make it and less salty and quite enjoyable.
- Quenelle: A pike fish soufflé with a texture somewhat like bread pudding. It traditionally comes in a lobster bisque-like cream sauce. It is all the rave in Lyon and as far as we know not popular anywhere else (at least we didn’t see it in neighboring towns, nor have we seen it elsewhere). We were glad to have tried it but would not be hunting down the recipe to take home. One place had multiple versions including a poultry one with a Saint-Marcellin cheese sauce.
- Cervelle de canut (silk workers’ brain!): Don’t worry, there are no cannibals here! This is actually a fresh cheese with garlic and spices which to us very much tasted like a thickened tzatziki. Also, quite good.
- Lyon cake: A wonderful Tarte Tatin made with both pear and apple topped with a warm red praline sauce (the red pralines are another local specialty).
Bouchons Lyonnais
Only a limited number of restaurants in Lyon are allowed to carry the official Bouchon designation. The tradition is highly protected. Be warned that many of the menu items contain what is considered ‘the fifth quarter’ or ‘offal’, which is made up of the edible internal organs, entrails, and extremities. In other words, the yucky bits!
We tried the fish soufflé but passed on the rest. I mean, no matter how well an edible entrail may be prepared, I was ok with not trying it and having fish instead. It might be a delicacy and might even taste good, but I’ll take their word for it!
While we were not courageous enough to partake in some of the more traditional tripe, brain, gizzards and liver offerings, we can agree that the gastronomical capital name is well deserved. We also found some really great chocolateries where we tried some mouth-watering pastries and found some delicious fruit jellies (or fruit pastes as I would later be corrected in Carcassonne when referring to these delights that are made with 85 percent fruit!).
Lyon’s Presqu’île district
Another site in Lyon that we enjoyed was the Museum of Fine Arts of Lyon. On the smaller side, it had a great selection of paintings (including some Monet, Rembrandt, Gauguin, Rodin, and more).
We spent a little over an hour enjoying the museum. It’s also beautifully situated in a square with a beautiful fountain depicting running horses, the Bartholdi Fountain.
There were also many beautiful gardens. Even in early March we had blooming magnolia trees, tulips, daffodils, and even some of the early annuals coming up. Another month and it would be filled with colors (but more tourists too!).
We were actually surprised to discover how warm it was the first week in March. When the sun was shining, we were out and about in our t-shirts. We had packed layers and layers expecting it to be cold but much of the time we had our coats tied around our waists. When it got cloudy or if the wind picked up, we would put them on but much of the time we were just fine.
It reminded us of our time in Montreal and how in the fall when the temperature started dropping, everyone was quick to put their coats on. But in the spring, when the temperature started rising all the outdoor terraces would open and everyone was running around in t-shirts at the very same temperature. Everyone was anxious to welcome spring and the warming weather.
More to see in the historic area
We spend much of our time roaming the old historic town but also across the water on the other side of the bridge we visited Église Saint-Nizier. This was another nice Gothic-style church with lots of intricate and beautiful wood carvings. The huge organ wall-mounted stand was made of a carved wood that looked like mahogany.
Close by is another basilica, the Basilique Saint-Bonaventure de Lyon. This too was huge and had these incredible stained-glass windows that looked like flying angels. We enjoyed our visit here as well.
Another famous attraction in town was the Fresque des Lyonnais, a realistic mural painted on the side of a building. It showed painted windows and storefronts with people engaged in various activities.
It is very lifelike and from a distance looks like a view from a century or two ago. We would see more of these murals on our trip also. An interesting art form that reminded us of the one we saw in Québec City, “La Fresque des Québéçois”.
Eating out in Vieux Lyon
Well after a second day of lots of walking, we had worked up an appetite and found ourselves a nice place in the Old Town called the Brasserie Gabriel.
We had a savory fish and noticed that the English translation cod was mentioned on the menu for what they called cabillaud. My husband asked them about this as we usually call cod, morue in Quebec.
It turned out that for the Lyonnais, morue was a rehydrated dried cod while fresh cod was called cabillaud the chef had explained. We laughed with the waiter as both of us had learned something new. I could not help wondering, had we been eating rehydrated fish all these years?
Cod is actually the most popular fish in France. (Behind the French Menu: Cabillaud – Cod, the Fish. Cabillaud is Fresh Cod, Morue is Rehydrated Cod. Cod on French Menus. Cod is the Most Popular Fish in France.)
One last day of exploring in Lyon
On our third and final day, we thought we’d go a little further afield doing a 30–40-minute walk from the hotel to another ancient Roman site, the Amphitheater of the Three Gauls. Unfortunately, this was really not worth the trouble to get to, and we had to pass through many ‘don’t come here after dark’ type neighborhoods.
Broken windows, graffiti, and boarded up abandoned houses didn’t make for much of a scenic walk. The site itself was less than impressive but was something that could have potential should they decide to invest in some beautification.
We also found it funny that we didn’t look around the historic Grand Hôtel-Dieu much until the last day. We were there for three nights after all, so we were happy to find the old chapel from the original Hôtel-Dieu hospital as well as the inner courtyard and nice plaza behind the hotel filled with restaurants.
Wanting to take a break from the rich French food smothered in butter and cream, (and still not courageous enough to try the brains or fifth quarter cuts) we opted for a nice Italian place (Casa Nobile) with some of the best pizza we’ve enjoyed outside of Italy! It opened at 7:30pm and by 7:15pm there were already 20 people in line, so we queued up. It was worth it and a nice way to end our adventure in Lyon before moving on to our next stop.
Conclusion
We did three nights in Lyon but in retrospect two nights would probably have been sufficient if arriving early in the day (like we did). This would allow for a day and a half of discovery. Of course, we had a pretty hectic schedule as we always like to do. Looking at our phones we had recorded 20k or more steps and had the sore feet to prove it. Still, we were happy to have seen and experienced what we did in Lyon.
Some tips
- Watch out for the bike paths that are everywhere. We stepped out onto these occasionally just to hear screeching bicycle brakes.
- Do try one (or more) of the authentic Bouchons for a true Lyonnais experience. Many of these dishes only seem to be available in Lyon.
- If you’re adventurous enough (and in shape!) do the walk up the hill to the cathedral like the Aldermen’s Pledge. If not, it is definitely much easier to take advantage of the funicular. This is one of the oldest funicular lines in the world that is still in operation and was built in 1862 (but don’t worry it’s been modernized many times since then).
- Look for some silk souvenirs from the historic silk area and stores in Vieux Lyon.
We would definitely recommend the convenient TGV train to get to and from Lyon. The station is well situated, and you can get multiple trains a day to the major destinations. In fact, we would also be taking the TGV train to our next destination on our Southern France adventure which was Avignon.