We travelled by train from London, UK, through Paris, France, to arrive in Lyon for 4 nights. Here are the highlights from our visit to the third-largest city in France.
We chose Lyon over Paris as we wanted a less busy place, and it did not disappoint. We were excited to try the food in this well-known place. The November weather was mild, at 14C most afternoons, and we had sunny skies. It was the perfect temperature to explore the city.
Our Accommodation in Lyon
We stayed at the Hotel Bayard Bellecour in the Bellecour neighbourhood. We chose to stay in the Bellecour area as it was a great transit hub and was within walking distance to Vieux Lyon (old town). It really was the perfect location. There were lots of foot traffic, tourists and locals walking their dogs at all hours of the day. We felt very comfortable walking around our hotel neighbourhood.
Our 4-night stay at the boutique Hotel Bayward Bellecour was quiet and peaceful. Since this was the beginning of a month-long trip, we knew we would need a day or two to recover from jet lag. We tried the buffet breakfast one morning, which was tasty but expensive. We had an old-fashioned clawfoot tub in our room. The halls and public areas were filled with antiques, photos and old books.
Dining in Lyon
Many breakfasts in France consist of a pastry and du cafe. We prefer a breakfast with more protein. On our second day, we discovered that the Pignol (popular bakery) near our hotel offered quiche. That became our breakfast solution! Even less expensive places like Pignol, displayed their offerings in an artisanal way.
Lyon is known as the culinary capital of France, and we enjoyed every meal there. Fresh ingredients from local sources really make a difference in the taste and quality of the food we experienced.
Dining takes longer in France than at home which we enjoyed as tourists. We appreciated the free tap water at every meal. There is never any rush to leave and you must ask for the bill when you are ready to go.
Here are a few of our favourite meals in Lyon:
Algerian
On our first night in Lyon, we enjoyed an Algerian meal at Souk Souk. The small restaurant had a great atmosphere, and the freshly made food and wine were the perfect way to end our first day in Lyon. The restaurant is located along a historic street and was an easy walk from our hotel.
Italian
Another great restaurant experience was the Italian meal at Gabriella. We enjoyed multiple courses. Each course was better tasting than the one before. The service and atmosphere were outstanding. I loved our private table for two. Although it was a less busy time of year, we still required a reservation for dinner.
Traditional French Meal in a Bouchon
Of course, while in Lyon, a must-do is to enjoy a traditional meal at a Bouchon. We reserved our lunch at Le Comptoir du Boeuf. It is a beautifully furnished restaurant, in Vieux Lyon. We chose the set menu for the day and it was expertly prepared. I ordered the Lyonaise salad twice while in Lyon and enjoyed both versions.
We accidentally found some tasty cheese and sausage with our beer one afternoon, which was a favourite moment!
Things to Do
Walking Tour of Vieux Lyon
We used GuruWalk to book a walking tour on our first morning. Our guide, JD, was entertaining and gave us a map of suggested dining places.
He took us through a few of the city’s ancient passageways, called traboules. The silk weavers used them to get to the riverside when they were first created. During the Second World War, these passageways were used by the resistance to avoid Nazi soldiers. Traboules were not identified on maps at the time, so only locals knew how to travel among them. Without our tour guide, we would have missed many of the traboules we experienced. Many of the passageways led to hidden courtyards!
JD also took us on a street art tour of local artists, which became a fun scavenger hunt to find the various art pieces. One artist, named Ememem, has actually been hired by the city of Lyon to continue their tile installations.
The most famous art installation is on the back of a building. The Fresque des Lyonnais includes many famous people from Lyon. It’s impressive! Lyon has several buildings with painted windows. At one time, Lyon residents’ tax fee was based on the number of windows they had, so occasionally residents blocked up windows to reduce their taxes paid. Evidence of this window tax still exists as there are many buildings with painted windows. Nowadays these painted windows must remain for historical reasons. Lyon has done an amazing job at maintaining the beautiful buildings.
We learned a great deal about the city’s history and enjoyed its beautiful architecture. There are beautifully restored and maintained buildings at every corner.
Roman Ruins
One of the unique parts of Lyon is its long history of settlement. Lyon was once called Lugdunum, the “hill of light,” by the Romans. They have uncovered several Roman sites throughout the city. There are Roman baths and an ancient theatre from 43BC, located a short walk from the Cathédrale Saint-Jean-Baptiste de Lyon. Our tour guide suggested a slow and steady path for the ascent, and I’m glad we used it!
Access to the ruins is free, and they are incorporated into the present-day buildings. The Baths are behind an apartment building! There is also a very modern Museum of Anthropology to explore. Since we had clear skies, we chose to stay outdoors. We viewed the ruins from above and at eye level.
We enjoyed a lunch at the top with the city view. When it was time to leave, we descended the hundreds of steep steps. Many people were climbing the steps and finding it very difficult!
Lyon is a walkable city. We thought we were going to use public transit, but with the good weather and central location of our hotel, we walked everywhere! The neighbourhoods are named for the churches in their area; Saint-Georges, Saint-Jean and Saint-Paul. There are several bridges linking the communities along the Rhone and Saone Rivers.
We enjoyed our first visit to Lyon. It felt less touristy than other city centres. It seemed like there were many students and young families who lived in the core. We would definitely return one day, maybe for a month or longer!
