Lyon

Introduction

6-Vieux Lyon

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Lyon is a city of 1.7 million residents in eastern France, famous for its food and film history. Lyon has its origins in the century before Christ's birth, when it was founded by the Romans and named Lugdunum. A rich history has seen Lyon develop into a vibrant, culturally significant metropolis at the convergence of the Rhône and Saône rivers. It was the centre for the French Resistance and Nazi stronghold during World War II.

It was the home to the Masons in Europe. Nostradamus and Albert Camus were residents. Lyon native and pilot for the Free French Air Force in 1944, Antoine de Saint-Exupery, wrote the Little Prince.

Neighbourhoods

Sights and Activities

Place Bellecour

The Place Bellecour is the largest plaza in Lyon and is the largest clear square (ie. without any obstacles like trees) in Europe. In the centre of the square there is a large statue of King Louis XIV mounted on a horse, which was made in 1825. The square is the focal point of the city and has the largest metro station, Bellecour Station, beneath it that connects the A and D lines. The major shopping streets of Rue de la République and Rue Victor Hugo also intersect with the square.

Churches

Lyon's Notre Dame Basilica

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• Notre-Dame de Fourvière is a large basilica that was built between 1872 and 1896. The church is a mixture of Romanesque and Byzantine designs and styles giving it a unique look. The interior of the church has great mosaics, stunning stained glass and the tomb of Saint Joseph. The church has four main towers and tall bell tower and is topped with a gilded statue of the Virgin Mary. The church has over 1.5 million visitors each year and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
• Lyon Cathedral (Cathédrale Saint-Jean-Baptiste de Lyon), construction of this cathedral began in the 12th century and was not completed until 1476. The main feature of the church is the two crosses to the right and left of the altar, which are preserved since the council 1274 as a symbol of the union of the churches. There is also a 14th century astronomical clock in the church.
• Saint Martin d'Ainay Church is located in the historic centre of Lyon, this church was constructed in the late 10th century. It is one of the few Romanesque Basilica style churches left in Lyon. The church gives a powerful sense of what life was like on the French frontier during the dark ages. The church is built like a fortress with thick walls, heavy doors, narrow windows and large bell tower for sounding the alarm.

Museums

• Museum of Contemporary Art is great contemporary art museum in Lyon.
• Musee des Beaux-Arts is a great fine arts museum housed in a former Benedictine convent with a nice garden outside. This museum is considered the second best fine arts museum in France. Address 20, place des Terreaux.
• Natural history Museum is a good museum, with some dinosaurs, located at 28 Boulevard des Belges.
• Museum of Gall-Roman Civilization houses many of the artifacts discovered in the Lyon area. It is located underground at 17 rue Cleberg.
• Institut Lumiere is a museum dedicated to the two brothers who invented the cinematograph in Lyon in 1895. The museum is located at 25 rue du Premier Film.
• Museum of Printing is dedicated to the history of printing and graphic arts. The musuem is located at 13 rue de la Poulaillerie.
• Musee des Sapeurs Pompiers du Grand Lyon is one of the biggest firefighter museums in all of Europe. The museum is located at 358 avenue de Champagne.
• Textile Museum (Musee Des Tissus)) is located in a beautiful 18th century mansion this museum has exhibits on Lyon's 19th century textile industry. The museum is located at 34, rue de la Charité.
• Centre for the History of the Resistance and Deportation is housed in the former Gestapo headquarters where Klaus Barbie was located. It is open on Sunday afternoon (with some air conditioning) and has exhibits on two floors. Student discounts are available for adults and children. There is a small book shop at the end of the exhibits.

Other Sights and Activities

• Lyon Town Hall is a beautiful 18th century building that is worth seeing.
• Tour Métallique de Fourvière is a large steel framework tower that is 85.9 metres high and weighs 210 tons. Construction on the tower was completed in 1894. It was built to be a secular landmark to contrast with the Notre-Dame de Fourvière. At present the tower is used as a TV broadcasting tower.
• La Mouche is a large market that was created in 1914
• Sainte Marie de La Tourette is a Dominican priory located in a valley near the city. The priory was built in the late 1950s and has a late modernist design. Built with reinforced concrete in a bare style the site has become a major visiting place for architecture buffs. Due to the number of monks dropping in the last few years, it is possible to arrange an overnight in the priory in one of the empty cells.
• Opéra National de Lyon is the opera company performing in a modernized version of the original 1831 opera house.
• The Medieval Quarter is a great place to explore the old buildings, and cobbled stone streets.
• Roman Ruins are located on the hillside near the Fourviere Basilica is several nice Roman era ruins including a nice theatre. There is also a Gallo-Roman Museum near the ruins located underground. The ruins date back to 45 BC and the theatre is still in use today.
• Ile Barbe Island is a nice island located along the Saone river.
• Shopping can be found on the streets of Rue de la République and Rue Victor Hugo.

Events and Festivals

• Fête des lumières is a popular festival which displays exciting light-based projects all over the city of Lyon. Usually covering four days leading up to the 8th December, the festival origins date back to the plague of 1643 and the celebration of the protection of the Virgin Mary. The modern festival is now more than just a religious celebration, and visitors from all over the world come to see the fanastical light installations that are are on offer.

Weather

Lyon lies on the border of a maritime and humid subtropical climate, with Mediterranean influences in summer and sometimes cold winds during winters. Average maximum temperatures in summers (June to September) are 24-27 °C with nights in the 13-16 °C range. Winters from December to February see highs of 6-8 °C with nights just above zero on average, though lows of almost -20 °C have been recorded under severe circumstances. In summer, temperatures can hit almost 40 °C sometimes. Precipitation is fairly even throughout the year with around 60 mm a month on about 10 to 12 days each month. Annual rainfall is around 850 mm and summers are just a bit wetter. Snow is possible in winter, but doesn't last very long in general.

Getting There

By Plane

Saint-Exupéry International Airport (LYS) is located 20 kilometres east of the city centre of Lyon. It services flights to and from other cities in France, Europe and Africa. Air France is the main airline providing domestic routes to Lyon. It is in Terminal 2, along with Royal Air Maroc while all other airlines are based in Terminal 1.
In 1994 the LGV Rhône-Alpes high-speed rail line brought TGV service to the airport, providing direct trains to Paris and Marseille.

By Train

The high speed train (TGV) runs from Paris (Gare de Lyon) to Lyon (Part Dieu) or Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) to Lyon (Perrache). Arrive at the station early to have your ticket validated at a yellow machine. Make sure that you read the signboards on the platform very carefully before entering the train. Lyon is also connected Lille, Brussels, and in the future Amsterdam to the north, and Marseille, Montpellier, and in the future Barcelona and Turin to the south by the TGV.

There could be two trains arriving as a single joined train. When the trains leave the station, they will separate into two trains heading in different directions. You want to compare the terminus of your train to the terminus listed for the trains marked on the sign to enter the correct train. Then compare your car number to the numbers on the sign. This will tell you where to stand on the platform under the area signs to enter the correct car.
Luggage is stored on a rack (pack light!). Bathrooms are gender-specific and one is on each level. The cars are two levels tall. There is a snack bar on the upper level.

By Car

Lyon lies at the crossroads of several highways: the A6 (to Paris), the A7 (to Marseille), the A42 (to Geneve), and the A43 (to Grenoble). The city is now bypassed by the A46 highway as well.

By Bus

Eurolines has buses to other cities in France, as well as to other countries throughout Europe.

By Boat

Getting Around

By Car

By Public Transport

TCL (Transports en Commun Lyonnais) provides the public transport system in Lyon. There is an extensive bus, tram and metro system. The subway network has 4 lines:

• The Red A Line
• The Blue B Line
• The Yellow C Line
• The Green D Line.

Togethere there are 39 stations and there are connections with a frequency up to 2 minutes during the busiest hours, less so during the evenings. Also check the lines at urbanrail.

You can purchase your ticket for the metro from vending machines but the credit cards must have a microchip. This is common in Europe but not the USA. Paper banknotes (cash) are not accepted so make sure you have plenty of coins. The same ticket works on the bus and metro for 1 hour from the time of purchase. A carnet (10 rides) of tickets can be purchased at a reduced rate at the vending machines.

There are four tram lines: T1 from Montrochet in the south to IUT-Feyssine in the north, Tram T2 from Perrache railway station in the southwest to Saint-Priest in the southeast, Tram T3 from Part-Dieu to Meyzieu, and Tram T4 from Mendès-France to Feyzin. There are also two funicular lines from Vieux Lyon to Saint-Just and Fourvière.

The bus system runs in Lyon and the outer suburban areas. In the suburbs, each stop has a schedule posted. Larger stops have a map, schedule, bench and shelter. The ticket can be purchased from the driver. However, cash in small denominations is appreciated. After you purchase the ticket, stick it in the validation machine right next to the driver with the dark strip facing up and keep it after it is validated. If you are caught riding without a validated ticket, there is a large fine.

In Lyon, the busstops have automated signs showing you when the next several buses will arrive at your stop.

By Foot

Lyon is very manageable on foot. The area is small and the free maps, from the tourist bureau, list almost every street in the city.

By Bike

Vélo'v provides a bicycle network where you can hire bicycles at a low cost. The service includes the hiring of bicycles which can be picked up and dropped off at any of 340 stations throughout the city. Borrowing a bicycle for less than 30 minutes is free.

Eat

Lyon is the centre for traditional French cuisine. Some of the best chefs in the world have restaurants in Lyon. In Old Lyon, Bouchons serve traditional fare. For more information, check the Bouchons article. Bellecour Square (La Place Bellecour) has modern eats and chain restaurants.

Drink

• The Wallace Bar is a British pub in Old Lyon by the river. It has 2 levels and outdoor seating. There is a bus stop across the street.

Sleep

Budget

Mid-Range

Upscale

Work

Learn

• EM Lyon is located in Ecully, a suburb, and is among the top 10 MBA schools in Europe, according to The Financial Times. The International MBA program is taught in English and accepts exchange students.
• ECAM Lyon
• École Central de Lyon
• Claude Bernard University Lyon 1
• Lumière University Lyon 2
• Catholic University of Lyon
• International School of Lyong (private school)

Keep Connected

Internet

Phone

See also International Telephone Calls

Post

La Poste in France is also referred to as the PTT (short for postes, télégraphes et téléphones). The mailboxes are painted bright yellow and often there is a slot for local city mail and another slot for "outside mail". Normally there is a queue in the post office, but most of the post offices have the self service machine installed which is quite easy to operate. Nowadays many of the tabac and even some of the souvenir shops also sell postage stamps. Normally an overseas postcard costs almost as much as sending a letter.
Post offices are generally open from 8:00am to 7:00pm Monday through Friday, and 8:00am to noon on Saturdays. Apart from the basic job of mailing letters, most of the post offices do some banking activities also and some even have photocopy machines and cyber cafes for internet access.

External Links

• Official Governmental Website
• Official Tourism Website
• Lyon France Traveller