Lyon is lovely! While lesser known than its more famous French counterparts, it is touted as France’s culinary capital, boasts a beautiful Renaissance old town, sits at the confluence of two rivers, and is in the middle of wine country. What more could you ask for? Well, how about proximity to the French Alps, a walled medieval town and a lakeside spa?
Cuisine and culture
Lyon has Roman amphitheatres that host rock concerts, Renaissance squares with over-the-top equestrian fountain-sculptures, an art museum and flea market on par with Paris as well as an unrivalled gourmet food market and its very own style of restaurant to showcase its culinary flair. All that plus a cathedral-topped hill, two rivers to stroll along, an avant-garde steel-and-glass museum, hidden passageways and multi-storey murals, make Lyon a marvellous mélange of cuisine and culture.
Art all around
Lyon’s lovely location, at the confluence of the Rhône and the Saône Rivers, has lured settlers since Roman times. The slip of land in between is known as Presqu'île, and you can start your tour at its beautiful main square, the Place des Terreaux. The ornate Hôtel de Ville, or city hall, stands on the east side and a grandiose fountain sculpted by the creator of the Statue of Liberty in the centre. On the south side is the Musée des Beaux-Arts, the best collection of sculptures and paintings outside of Paris, including works by Rodin, Monet and Picasso. Lyon also shows its role in the history of film at the Art Nouveau home of Antoine Lumière, father of the filmmaking brothers, and the Mur du Cinéma mural, one of many such wall frescoes in the city. Seek out the seven-storey Fresque des Lyonnais and the Mur des Canuts trompe l’oeil of daily life, possibly Europe’s largest mural. Also visit the 16th-century Place des Jacobins, and then the 17th-century Place Bellecour, one of Europe’s largest public squares. In between the grands places, wander the traboules, passageways used by silk merchants to transport goods, such as Passage Thiafait at the top of Presqu'île. Near here you’ll find one of two Roman amphitheatres that still host concerts regularly. Meanwhile, an amazing urban renewal project at the narrow southern tip of Presqu'île has brought businesses, restaurants and residents back to the neighbourhood. The new centrepiece is the Musée des Confluences, an asymmetrical steel-and-glass science and humanities museum. It’s also worth climbing to Lyon’s iconic cathedral, the late 19th-century Basilique Notre Dame de Fourvière, for both the view and the mosaics.
Bocuse and bouchons
The epicentre of Lyon gastronomy is Les Halles Paul Bocuse, named for the city’s most famous chef, though the market has been operating since 1859. Now home to 50-plus gourmet vendors and eateries, it’s a tour of French cuisine in one locale. By the way, apparently it’s de rigueur to have oysters and wine at a seafood bar at about 11 a.m. Fans of Bocuse, who is immortalised in the Bocuse d’Or, the unofficial world championship for chefs, may wish to reserve at his eponymous restaurant. It retains two Michelin stars and still serves his signature soupe aux truffes noires VGE, black truffle soup created for French president Valéry Giscard d'Estaing in 1975. Lyon has its own style of restaurant, called a bouchon, known not for nouvelle or haute cuisine but for hearty, meaty dishes in a homely atmosphere. Le Musée, in the old stables of the city hall building, is one of the classics, as are Daniel et Denise and Le Poêlon d'Or. Dishes to look out for include quenelles (pike dumplings), andouillette (pork offal sausage) and coq au vin (chicken braised in wine). For more modern French cuisine, Balthaz'art offers multi-course meals and Les Terrasses de Lyon serves imaginative dishes with a sweeping view of the city. Of course, any restaurant in the city will help pair each dish with a wine from the region.
Markets and wine bars
Treasure hunters may want to trek to France’s second-largest flea market, Les Puces du Canal, with over 400 stalls. Or simply browse the paintings, sculptures and crafts sold by artists along the Saône right in town. Meanwhile, many of Lyon’s young designers are gathered at Le Village des Créateurs. Visit Monde Ethique for eco-friendly items and Blitz Bazar & Galerie or Le Dada Shop for unique gifts. For lots of shops in one spot, Pôle de Commerces et de Loisirs is a shopping centre in the Confluence neighbourhood. Looking for a drink with a view? Ascend to Les Muses bar on the 7th floor of Lyon’s opera house. If you’re ready to start tasting the region’s wines, Harmonie des Vins has the requisite old stone walls and platters of cheese or charcuterie as well as wine experts. Or head to the elegant La Cave d'à Côté, which translates as “the cellar next door”. For a more energetic evening, Péniche La Marquise, on a barge, boasts all-night live concerts and DJ sets of all genres. At Terminal, DJs spin a different genre every night.
Wine tasting, spa and sports
The wines of the region include Beaujolais, which may be famed for its “young” wine, but there’s much more to discover as you hop from château to château or stay in honey-coloured stone villages. Côtes du Rhône produces some of the world’s most famous full-bodied reds. Vienne is a lovely place in wine country with a Roman temple still standing, while Pérouges is a well-preserved medieval walled town. Or take a day trip to Annecy, a French Alpine gem with colourful houses overlooking canals that rival Amsterdam. Or how about a spa-and-sport excursion? Aix-les-Bains and the neighbouring Massif des Bauges are an hour by car or train, for water sports on a lake in summer, snowshoeing in winter and soaking in mineral-rich spa waters any time of year. Lyon is also less than two hours from the 1992 Winter Olympics site of Albertville. If you don’t need Olympic-level slopes, Le Grand Bornand is rated great for snowboarders and families, with 30 restaurants and bars, while La Clusaz accommodates skiers of all abilities.
Lyon airport
Aéroport Lyon–Saint Exupéry is about 30 minutes from Lyon by Rhônexpress train. Other cities are served by Ouibus or national rail service SNCF, and there are electric cars via Bluely and standard rental cars available as well. Ski bus shuttles go to nearby resorts. The airport has 18 shops from jewellery and watches to cosmetics and books, travel items and electronics. There are 21 food outlets, including cafés and bakeries, fast and healthy food and a brasserie.
Lyon weather
Lyon has mild winters and hot summers, with average temperatures about 3°C in January and 25°C in July. Spring and autumn are the best times to visit Lyon, since September can still be warm. Winters are chilly, but with warm gourmet meals and skiing nearby, you may want to choose a winter holiday.
FAQs for booking flights to Lyon
How to get cheap flights to to Lyon?
Use FareFinder to compare fares and discover the cheapest Lyon flights for the next 6 months, helping you to plan ahead and save. Frequent flyers can save even more by joining the Wizz Discount Club, which gives you and your companions access to an instant €10.00 discount on fares from €19.99 and further discounts on checked-in baggage purchased online.
When is the best time to visit Lyon?
The best time to go to Lyon is during spring and autumn, more particularly during May and from September to October, when the weather is nice and the city is less crowded. May brings comfortable temperatures to enjoy the outdoors of Lyon, and September and October bring crisp weather with blooming foliage.
If cultural events are what you are interested in, summer will be lively with festivals from June to August, featuring festivals such as Les Nuits de Fourvière and the Lyon Street Food Festival, but be prepared for higher temperatures and bigger crowds. Winter is quite charming with the spectacle of the Festival of Lights and Christmas markets, but the temperatures are cold, as low as 3°C in January. Whether you prefer the warmth of summer or winter with its festive atmosphere, Lyon has got something to appeal to both!
How to get from Lyon Airport to Grenoble?
From Lyon–Saint Exupéry Airport, which is about 30 minutes from Lyon by Rhônexpress train, there are a variety of transport options, including Ouibus, SNCF trains, Bluely electric cars, and the standard rentals. From Lyon Airport, the best way to get to Grenoble is by taking the direct train, which takes 1 hour and 3 minutes. For the best price, a direct bus can be taken, which will also take 1 hour and 5 minutes. Driving will take 55 minutes, or a town car can be used. The train or bus service is both direct and convenient.
How do I offset the carbon emissions of a Lyon flight?
As part of our commitment to reduce carbon emissions, we've launched a carbon offsetting scheme. Input the details of your Lyon flight into our travel footprint calculator to calculate your carbon emissions. You can choose to offset your emissions by making a payment supporting two verified carbon-reducing projects. You will receive a certificate in return, recognising the offset emissions.
