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The Complete Guide to Vieux Lyon: The City’s Medieval & Renaissance District

Last Updated: December 1, 2022 · France

One of my favorite places to visit in Lyon is Vieux (Old) Lyon, the city’s historic district sandwiched between Fourvière Hill—atop which sits the crown jewel of the city, the Basilica of Fourvière—and the timeless Saône River.

There is nowhere else in Lyon, perhaps except for the neighborhood of Croix-Rousse, that will transport you back in time quite like Lyon’s Old Town.

As a UNESCO World Heritage Site, its old-world charm and cultural and economic importance throughout history are undeniable.

A view of the Basilica of Fourvière in the distance between historic Renaissance buildings and residences of Old Lyon.

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Inside a cozy, dim-lit café located in Old Lyon, France.

In this exquisite and intricate labyrinth of cobblestone streets lined with traditional bouchons Lyonnais, you will find myriad historical, cultural, and gastronomical gems.

From the Gallo-Roman ruins to the decorated churches and cathedrals to the hidden courtyards and tunnels, Vieux Lyon is teeming with mystery, history, and a dash of mayhem.

As you waltz around this antique district, you can’t help but slip into a daze as you dream about Lyon’s complex past and how it clashes yet compliments its contemporary vibrancy.

Having lived in Lyon for over a year, I will clue you in on all the best things to do and see in Old Lyon, including where to stay, eat, and play.

Here is the ultimate insider’s guide to Vieux Lyon!

Table of Contents show
The Ultimate Guide to Vieux Lyon
A Brief History of Old Lyon
How to Get to Lyon’s Old Town
Where to Stay in Vieux Lyon
Unmissable Things to See & Do in Vieux Lyon
Ride the Old Cable Car Up to Fourvière Hill
Visit La Basilique Notre Dame de Fourvière
Explore the Ruins of the Amphitéatre des Trois Gaules
Stroll the Rue Saint-Georges
Taste French Cuisine on a 4-Hour Food Tour
Step Inside the Catédrale Saint-Jean-Baptiste
Indulge in Organic Ice Cream at Terre Adélice
Take a Private & Customizable Walking Tour
Visit the Quirky Museums in Old Lyon
Where & What to Eat in Vieux Lyon
Last Tips for Visiting Vieux Lyon

The Ultimate Guide to Vieux Lyon

Renaissance-era dwellings and courtyard in the heart of Vieux Lyon.

A Brief History of Old Lyon

Vieux Lyon is modern Lyon’s medieval and Renaissance neighborhood dating back to the Middle Ages.

In fact, founded in 43 BC, the city of Lyon (then known as Lugdunum) was one of the first Roman settlements and the biggest city in Gaul—the name Romans gave to the western European region (now present-day France, Belgium, Luxembourg, and parts of Switzerland, Italy, and Germany).

Lyon's Old Town with Renaissance architecture with arched breezeways and a lion statue.
An empty street (Rue) in the heart of Vieux Lyon, France.
Gothic-Roman Cathedral in Vieux Lyon with arched ruins.

Today, you can see remnants of this antique history throughout Old Lyon: at the preserved site of the Gallo-Roman ruins perched atop Fourvière Hill (in French, the Amphíthéâtre des Trois Gaules); throughout the cobbled streets and in the residences reminiscent of the Renaissance; and in the secrets that lie in the staircases, courtyards and traboules (passageways) that hide behind unassuming doors and buildings.

“Humans have settled at this site destined for urbanization for more than two thousand years and built a city whose stages of development are still visible today: from the Roman vestiges of antique Lugdunum to the medieval streets on the slopes of Fourvière and the Renaissance dwellings of Vieux-Lyon…”

UNESCO

How to Get to Lyon’s Old Town

As I mentioned above, the Old Town of Lyon is located between Fourvière Hill and the Saône River, just opposite the Presqu’Île in central Lyon.

Bridge crossing the Saône River in Lyon, France.

Luckily, there is a metro station right in the heart of Old Lyon (Saint-Jean) so you’ll be able to easily get to/from Vieux Lyon from anywhere in the city.

From Bellecour, take the green Line D toward Vaise and stop off at Vieux Lyon.

Lyon’s metro line map

Metro tickets cost 1,80€ per journey, so it’s much, much cheaper to purchase a Lyon City Card which grants unlimited public transport across Lyon including the metro, bus, and tram lines.

Where to Stay in Vieux Lyon

Some of Lyon’s best hotels are arguably located in the heart of Vieux Lyon. After all, it is one of the city’s most visited and popular districts to visit (for obvious reasons!).

Before you book, it’s good to know that there are three subsections of Old Lyon:

  • Saint-Paul (north)
  • Saint-Jean (heart of Vieux Lyon)
  • Saint-George (south)

You will be within walking distance of tons of restaurants and attractions no matter where you stay in the historic district!

Below are some of my recommendations for places to stay in Old Lyon. For more, read my guide to Lyon’s best boutique hotels..

The Host Inn ($$$): Located in the very heart of Old Lyon, this cozy and furnished apartment has everything you need to have an intimate, memorable stay. You will be mere steps away from the best of Lyon’s charming Renaissance district, including museums, restaurants, and historic sites.

La Villa Florentine ($$$): This 5-star luxury hotel has perfected the French art de vivre. It features an award-winning gastronomic restaurant, a wellness spa with a heated swimming pool, whirlpool, and sauna, and 29 elegant suites offering panoramic views over the historic district and city.

Honorê Baleine Suite ($$): Centrally-located, bright and modern studio apartment ideal for solo travelers or couples on vacation, or biz travelers on a quick work trip. A great choice if you’re traveling with pets!

Unmissable Things to See & Do in Vieux Lyon

There is plenty to do and see in the district of Old Lyon—from touring the traboules to sharing a meal in a traditional Lyonnais restaurant to visiting the culture and art museums, and more!

The courtyard of Place Saint-Jean with a fountain and view of Fourvière Hill and Basilica.

Every time we go back to Lyon, we always wander around Vieux Lyon for a day. Here are our favorite places to visit and things to do!

Ride the Old Cable Car Up to Fourvière Hill

To get to the top of Fourvière Hill, you can either walk or take the historic Funiculaire de Fourvière (cable car). This ride is a fun way to travel back in time. At the top, you will be a short walk away from the Basilica of Fourvière and the Gallo-Roman Museum and Ruins. Journey time from Vieux Lyon up to Fourvière takes 2 minutes and a roundtrip ticket costs just 3€.

PS — The Lyon City Card pass gives you free access to the funicular, plus free entrance to 24 museums and some of the best things to do in Lyon (and all for under 30€!).

The Basilica of Fourvière atop Fourvière Hill in Lyon, France.

Visit La Basilique Notre Dame de Fourvière

No visit to Vieux Lyon is complete without stepping inside the Basilica of Our Lady of Fourvière.

The decorated interior is simply stunning; the walls are covered in thousands of colorful mosaics that recount impressive biblical scenes. When the light streams in through the windows, it creates a myriad of hues and colors at different hours of the day, bringing the works of art to life.

Mosaic wall inside the Basilica Fourviere in Lyon, France
Inside the beautiful Basilica of Fourvière

Don’t miss out on the panoramic view of the entire city outside the basilica as well! From April–October, the Lyon City Card grants you free access to the roof. Year-round, the pass gives you access to the Fourvière Museum of Religious Art.

Explore the Ruins of the Amphitéatre des Trois Gaules

Just a couple blocks away from the basilica, on the slopes of Fourvière Hill, you can explore the ancient ruins of the Gallo-Roman Grand Amphitheater and Odeon which were both listed as UNESCO World Heritage sites.

Exploring the ruins outside is free but it costs €4–7 to visit the adjacent Gallo-Roman museum (or free for Lyon City Card pass holders) which houses one of the most impressive archaeological collections in France.

Women stand overlooking the Gallo-Roman Ampitheatre in Vieux Lyon in winter
L’Amphitéatre des Trois Gaules

Stroll the Rue Saint-Georges

Among all the cobbled streets of Vieux Lyon, the Rue Saint-Georges is one of the most popular (some would say touristy). But it’s not touristy in the sense that it’s filled with inauthentic souvenir shops.

Along this street are traditional restaurants, Renaissance dwellings, courtyards, luxe boutiques, wine bars, quaint cafés, and more. It’s quintessentially Old Lyon with all its charm.

A tourist-crowded cobbled street in the heart of Old Lyon.

Taste French Cuisine on a 4-Hour Food Tour

If gourmet French food is your true love, there’s no better place to try the local specialties of Lyon than in the Vieux Lyon district. Here, numerous bouchons Lyonnais await with red-checkered tablecloths ready to serve regional flavors only found here.

On this 4-hour food tour guided by a local, you’ll get to try 17 different dishes at 5 different stops across Old Lyon. As this tour is led by a Lyonnais, you will get to discover the secret passageways of Vieux Lyon and get to discover the gastronomy of Lyon away from the tourist crowds.

Also Read: The 9 Best Tours to Do in Lyon ✨

Cathedral in Vieux Lyon district with 5th-century remnants in the garden.

Step Inside the Catédrale Saint-Jean-Baptiste

The Gothic-Roman Cathedral of Saint Jean is perhaps the most iconic attraction to visit in the heart of Vieux Lyon.

Inside, you can see the 14th-century astronomical clock of Lyon. Just beyond the steps of the cathedral is La Place de Saint-Jean (courtyard), around which you’ll find many lovely restaurants, the central St Jean Fountain, and elegant Renaissance-style architecture.

Before you leave the area, head around the corner down Rue Mandelot to find the Jardin Archaéologique where you can wander the remnants of a 5th-century cathedral.

“A colourful mass of craft shops, restaurants, ice-cream vendors, old postcard sellers, buskers and bars, [Vieux Lyon] is punctuated by two churches and a Cathedral – St Paul, the furthest up stream, known to have been the commercial area during the Renaissance, St Jean Cathedral in the middle, home to wealthy aristocrats, and St George downstream, the craftsmen’s district. It’s St Jean Cathedral, in the beating heart of Vieux Lyon, that visitors flock to see. “

This is lyon
View of Vieux (Old) Lyon across the River Saône.
A chocolate shop with arched windows in the center of Old Lyon.

Indulge in Organic Ice Cream at Terre Adélice

You will first see a long line of people queuing to try the incredible ice cream of Terre Adélice before you even get to the shop.

Terre Adélice creates the best ice cream with unique ingredients and flavors. Plus, they use only organic products throughout their entire menu!

Terre Adélice is originally from the department of Ardèche, which is where Paul is from as well! We always end up eating Terre Adélice ice cream in desserts for birthdays, anniversaries, and holidays.

You can find Terre Adélice on Place de la Baleine in Old Lyon.

Take a Private & Customizable Walking Tour

Lyon’s old town is actually much bigger than you might think, covering an area of approximately 1,000 acres (424 hectares). Luckily, it remains extremely walkable!

This 3-hour private (customizable) walking tour will allow you to glean the insights of a local while wandering the cobbled streets that hold many secrets beyond the visible eye.

Not feeling like walking? You can also visit and learn about Old Lyon from the medieval period up to the Renaissance on this fun and eco-friendly pedicab tour.

Visit the Quirky Museums in Old Lyon

Lyon is known for having some of the best, most quirky museums in the world. And many of them can be found right here in Vieux Lyon.

The Gadagne Museums, comprising both the Puppetry Museum (Musée des Arts de la Marionnette) and the Museum of Lyon History (Musée d’Histoire de Lyon), are not-to-miss places to visit in Old Lyon as they are so representative and educational about the history and culture of Lyon.

A museum of puppetry located in the 5th district of Lyon.

There is also the hyper-realistic Cinema and Miniatures Museum (Musée Cinéma et Miniature) founded by miniatures artist Dan Olhmann. Inside this fascinating museum are miniature worlds and originals of props used in famous films from Mrs. Doubtfire to Alien to Spiderman and beyond.

🎟 Get free entrance to all these museums in Vieux Lyon with the Lyon City Card pass!

A typical restaurant patio in Old Lyon with umbrellas for shade and elegant surroundings.
Restaurant-goers dining outside in Vieux Lyon in the summer.

Where & What to Eat in Vieux Lyon

If you didn’t know already, Lyon is considered the gastronomic capital of France.

And while you’ll find the traditional restaurants of Lyon (called bouchons), there is a concentration of them in the old town. In this historic district, you will find some of the best food in the whole city.

red wine glass | bouchon lyonnais | lyon, france
A salade lyonnaise served inside a bouchon lyonnais restaurant in Vieux Lyon
Une salade Lyonnaise

There is even an official association of Bouchons Lyonnais to ensure quality and tradition. Bouchons are identifiable by their cozy, family-style ambiance, pitchers of wine (usually a Beaujolais or a Côte du Rhône), and conviviality.

Some of the best places to eat in Old Lyon are at these establishments:

  • Daniel et Dénise
  • La Meunière
  • Les Fines Geules
  • Les Lyonnais
  • Chez Chabert
  • Notre Maison

There are many Lyonnais specialties to look out for on the menus. but my favorite dish is la quenelle — what my boyfriend calls a “flour sausage” (lol). It’s made up of flour, eggs, and when broiled, becomes inflated and grows three times its size. My favorite quenelles are served with cream, tomato and mushrooms, or a type of melted cheese.

Red-colored umbrellas provide shade at a restaurant in the heart of Old Lyon.

Last Tips for Visiting Vieux Lyon

There is so much to discover in Old Lyon, but before you hit the streets I wanted to share a few more tips for getting around.

Try to go mid-week: Weekends are an extremely busy time for Vieux Lyon, as many tourists come to visit the city for 2-3 days before continuing onto Marseille or Paris. Avoid weekends if possible to experience the charm of Old Lyon without so many crowds.

A busy half-sun, half-shaded street with tourists and restaurant dining patios in Vieux Lyon.
A street lamp and Renaissance architecture of Old Lyon.
A shaded street in Lyon's medieval and Renaissance district.
Street in Lyon's old town with cathedral and garden ruins.

Book hotels and restaurants way in advance: Due to its popularity, the restaurants and hotels available in Vieux Lyon fill up fast. Book your accommodation today and go ahead and make a reservation at least a week in advance for the more popular eateries.

You don’t need a car: Lyon is an extremely pedestrian and bike-friendly city. Don’t make the mistake of driving your rental car into or around the Old Town. Walk, bike, or take the metro!

Last, but not least, don’t go to Lyon without purchasing a 1, 2, 3 or 4-day Lyon City Card! The pass pays for itself with 40+ activites and unlimited transport.

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By: Bri · In: France

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Traveling solo in Nepal has awakened in me a confi Traveling solo in Nepal has awakened in me a confidence & sense of self (at the risk of sounding cliché), of “my essence” and inner Knowing, and where my compassion and passions mingle and thrive. I was reading some of your comments on my recent Reel about solo travel and how I put myself at great risk/in danger. But as I was telling my Tibetan friend, Sonam, tonight (yes, the new one I made last week!), I inform my decisions mostly by 1. Asking myself, “Would this make a good story?” and 2. Listening to my body and emotions. Yes, it’s risky to travel solo, to be a female in a male-dominated culture, to go out after hours with people you just met, etc. But doing that — and all the magic that followed by “allowing” — reminded me exactly of who I am at my core: Curious and open to the world, willing to get uncomfortable for the sake of finding magic and serendipity. Some of you said, “I’m too scared to do this, how do you overcome that fear of personal safety?” And to this I say, I don’t! Fear accompanies me along the journey. Living life is one big risk. It’s uncomfortable to be open, vulnerable, and unsure. But once you accept that and once you begin to let compassion and curiosity guide you rather than your fear, the real magic starts to happen in all areas of life, not just travel. I find these moments most in travel though, when I’m confronted with contrast and am left vulnerable to the world and the kindness of my fellow humans. My Reels are not meant to romanticize or gloss over very real risks/threats in life, but rather to share a real account of what’s possible (adventure, connections, love, etc) when you worry less about societal norms and what’s “safe not safe” “right not right” and allow your over-active fears to take a backseat. 
This is your reminder to trust your inner compass to guide you in writing your epic life story. ✨✨

To sum it up: 

1. Choose a life of adventure 
2. Stay curious
3. Get comfortable with being uncomfortable (otherwise said, seek discomfort)
4. Let love and light flow in and out 
5. Change is the only constant 

#solotravel #nepaltravel #solofemaletraveler #soloadventure #localtravel #trekkingnepal #adventurethatislife
The strength of women 💛 These ladies were lau The strength of women 💛 

These ladies were laughing so sweetly while filling up their water jugs at the Manga Hiti fountain in Patan. I watched them for a while and then plucked up the courage to ask if I could take their photos, which only made them giggle more. 

I've always felt that not being able to communicate in the same language makes for even more interesting encounters. Without words, we have to touch each other's humanity with eyes and gestures, and most of the time it leads to unspoken mutual understanding, acceptance, and love. We three walked away with the biggest smiles on our faces. I yelled out "Dhayabad!" (Thank you!) as they hoisted their jugs up the stairs, laughing all the way. I won't forget this shared moment between us 🙏 

Check stories for the landscape orientation for some of these photos ✨ 

#nepal #nepalnow #nepalphotography #nepaliculture #nepalisbeautiful #natgeoyourshot #patan #kathmanduvalley #lifetimeexperiences #photonepal #nepaltravel
Did you feel it? Nepal’s ancient wisdom, its swi Did you feel it? Nepal’s ancient wisdom, its swirling spirituality, its raw humanity? ✨🇳🇵❤️

#nepal #visitnepal #nepalnow #travelstories #localtravel #mindfultravel #slowtravel #natgeotravel
When you say “yes” as a solo traveler and stay When you say “yes” as a solo traveler and stay open to the randomness of life and the kindness of strangers, really wonderful memories can be made. Thank you Lama family and my new Tibetan friends for such a fun and insightful sequence of experiences 🙏 💛

#solotravel #localtravel #nepaltravel #nepaldiaries #nepali #solofemaletravel #kathmandunepal #thamel #tibetanfood #solotraveldiaries
My first week back in the chaos of Kathmandu, 💛 My first week back in the chaos of Kathmandu, 💛 

Being back after 7 long years away has jolted my body, brain, and spirit. At first, I felt overwhelmed with the recurring thought of, "I don't know what to do with myself." It was only when acceptance knocked on my door, and I finally decided to let it in, that things began to shift and flow.
 
In Nepal, particularly Kathmandu, everything around me swarms like a hive. I have nowhere else to go but inside myself. I've discovered through years of slow traveling (and solo travel) that peace awaits me there -- a sense of independence, power, and knowing that is still, comforting, and safe. And I can tap into it whenever I need to.

Chaos and peace reside in all of us, and Nepal has a cosmic, ancient way of reminding you of just that. 

📍 Patan Durbar Square, Lalitpur

#nepaltravel #patan #durbarsquare #nepalphotography #slowtravel #nepal #solotravel #lalitpur
They ask, “Why?” I was 29 when I embarked on They ask, “Why?” 

I was 29 when I embarked on the plane on the 21st, and 30 when I disembarked on the 23rd. How fitting. I spent all of my 20s abroad (except for my two final semesters in undergrad), and moved to Nepal when I was 21. 

What better way to say goodbye to my twenties than by returning to the start? I felt the desperate urge to start my 30s this way—alone on a one-way ticket with no concrete plans. I have both feared and longed to come back all these years. You see, I had made a promise to one of my closest Nepali friends that I’d see her again, but the reality is that I no longer can. 

She, along with another dear friend, passed away from cancer a couple of years back. The thought of returning to my old life here without my friends made me, well, incredibly sad. I had thought that, upon landing in Kathmandu—or taking a bite of my first momo—after so long, I’d find myself bursting into tears of both grief and gratitude. But I didn’t. Instead, I found familiarity in the chaos and chaos in the strangeness. 

Just being here—and the decisions and actions it took to get here—has reminded me of the preciousness of this one very short life. And that, by choosing to celebrate mine—at the exciting turn of a decade no less—by coming back to Nepal on a solo trip that would force me into daring discomfort when I could instead retreat to the comforts of family or my partner, is how I want to live it.

Truth is, a couple of months ago the thought of Nepal felt out of reach. It felt risky, unattainable. But the idea itself pushed open, just a crack at first, a door that had been otherwise closed. I could have more easily ignored my “what if?” daydreams—calling them off as too hard, too uncomfortable, or too far-fetched to actually pursue—and kept it shut.
But sometime in mid-July, I decided to look at flights. And I found one (truly, just one) option that could work. And it just so happened that it would fall on my birthday, or rather bridge my birthday. The idea of getting on a plane at 29 and getting off it at 30—back in Nepal—sold me. I fell in love with the story, the adventure, the unknowingness of it all. 

So, yeah. That’s why. Or as I prefer, “Why not?”
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