If you have already visitedOld Town of Lyon and discover some of the most beautiful and unique buildings of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, now it's time to discover a slightly more modern Lyon. Don't worry, it's not something like La Défense in Paris, but more of a district that will remind you of squares from the 17th century (such as Place Vendome) combined with the boulevards and Haussmann buildings in Paris.
As you will see here too, you will get to see an abundance of architectural gems, combined with culinary diamonds, so prepare your feet and stomach and let's get going :-).
Secrets of Le Marais: A Journey into the Historic and Chic Heart of Paris
Join us on a virtual journey to the most fascinating district in Paris. Together we will discover hidden courtyards, French nobility, and the true stories behind the magnificent facades.
Hiking route in Presqu'île
Route map
I have created a map for you of all the places you will visit on this trip. I recommend clicking on it to open the map in full screen to see where you want to go next.
Once we understand how to use the map, I will ask you to take metro line A or D (depending on where you live in Lyon), exit at Bellecour station and go straight to the square of the same name. That is where our tour begins.
Place de Bellecourt
This square was built in the early 18th century, but nothing of the square built by Louis XIV has survived. Whose thanks and whose blessings? To the French revolutionaries, of course, who decided that because it was a royal symbol, it was worth destroying it (and thus it became the only square to be destroyed during theFrench Revolution).
However, the history of this square did not begin with Louis XIV, but long before him. In Roman times there was a boat dock here and later there was a garden and vineyard that belonged to the Archbishop of Lyon. Since the Latin word for a beautiful garden is Bella Curtis, the name of the place evolved and became Bellecourt.
As mentioned, in 1708 Louis XIV built a huge square here, which is now considered the third largest square in Europe, and in its center is a statue of the king riding a horse. The statue was replaced in time. French Revolution At the guillotine, the name of the square was also changed to “Federation Square” (Place de la Fédération).
Napoleon I rebuilt the square in a neoclassical style (as can be seen from the east and west facades), but when the Bourbons returned, so did the statue of Louis XIV, created in 1. Below the statue of Louis XIV you will find two other statues, one representing the Rhône River and the other the Saône River. Next to the two statues you will find the statue of the Lion, which symbolizes the city of Lyon (Lion in French and English is a lion).
What else will you find in this square?
First, you will find the local tourist office here, where you will receive important information about Lyon (if you still have questions after reading the Lyon Guide Mine). However, just as importantly, you can take a picture with a statue of the legendary chef Paul Bocuse, which in itself is worth the visit.
The second place, located on the square and worth a visit, is the Voisin chocolate shop, located at the end of the square, right across from the tourist office. This is a chain of chocolate shops with a history that goes back to 1897 and has several stores in the city. So if you fancy a sweet moment in Lyon, this is one of the shops worth going to.
Place Antonin Poncet
This square is named after Antonin Ponceau (1849-1913), a famous surgeon who worked at the Hôtel-Dieu hospital. In the square you will find a bell tower, which remains from a 17th-century hospital, which was demolished in 1934 to make way for the Lyon post office.
When you enter this building, you will discover that in France, as in France, even a functional building, like the post office, can be very impressive (note the murals that show how the mail is distributed to all corners of the world).
Lyon's old hospital (Hôtel-Dieu)
This large and impressive building, which no longer functions as a hospital, began construction in the 12th century to house the city's poor and the poor. In the 17th century, the building was enlarged and two towers were added, and in the 19th century, a dome and a very impressive facade were added.
Fortunately, the hospital has been emptied of its residents and today you will find a small food market, restaurants, cafes and a fashion store. In short, a celebration of shopping, chic and architecture in one place.
Also, if you want to stay amidst all this beauty, you can do so atThe Intercontinental Hotel In the complex. And it is a super luxurious five-star hotel and you will find everything expected in a hotel of this type (spa, great service, etc.).
The hotel is home to Epona, chef Mathieu Charrois' restaurant, which serves traditional Lyonnais cuisine with a modern interpretation. At lunchtime, you can enjoy a daily menu for just €32 (as of September 2022), a very affordable price for a meal of this standard.
And one last thing…
If all this shopping has you looking for a little “culture,” I highly recommend entering the Baroque church that used to belong to the hospital.
You will find there quite a few art objects and paintings from the 17th century, but also the remains of more than 600 different saints (or so it is claimed). Impressive!
Lyon Museum of Illusions
Right next to the church of the Hotel Dia, a new branch of the Museum of Illusions will open in 2021 (the original branch is in Paris).
What is the Museum of Illusions?
This is a museum, founded by Leslie, a Jewish woman living in France, who also studied with us and speaks Hebrew quite well, and her partner, and it is dedicated entirely to optical illusions.
You will find a “window” that is actually a floor, which creates the illusion that you are “hanging” on it, holes from which your head can emerge, a tunnel that makes you feel as if it is spinning, and many, many more tricks. Highly recommended if you are traveling with children.
Opening Hours: Every day from 10:00-20:00. On Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, the place is open until 22:00.
By the way, if you're hungry, let me recommend the Italian restaurant Casa Nobile, which is right across from the museum. I got a recommendation from the museum director (a nice Italian guy from Sicily, who knows a thing or two about Italian food) and it was really good.
I had pasta with dill and chorizo sausage and cannoli there and both were excellent. A great option if you need a methodical break from the excellent food of Lyon.
By the way, you can't make a reservation for the restaurant and in the evening I saw a pretty long line there, so keep that in mind.
Link to the restaurant website
Theatre of the Celestins (Theatre des Celestins)
The impressive theater you'll see here is named after the Celestine monastery that once stood here. The theater itself was built in 1877 but burned down a few years later. Fortunately, it was decided to rebuild it, based entirely on the plans of the previous theater, so it looks exactly as it did when it first opened to the public.
Today it is the second most important comic theater in France (after the Comédie Française) and if you love theater and speak French, you can check which plays are running there using This siteThose who are less familiar with French theater are invited to look through the periscope that peers into the theater's parking lot. There is no doubt that this is the most beautiful parking lot I have ever seen, and it is most likely the most beautiful parking lot you will ever see.
By the way, if you fancy an excellent meal at a Michelin-starred restaurant, you will be delighted to discover the restaurant in the square. Mr. P Chef Laurent Poulard's, where I dined to my delight on September 20, 2022.
Rue de la Republique
We all know Baron Georges Eugène Haussmann, the man who demolished old Paris and transformed its dark, ancient alleys into boulevards, squares and gardens. But who has heard of Monsieur Claude-Marius Vaïsse (1799-1864)?
This man, rightly called “the Haussmann of Lyon,” was the Prefect of Lyon and, just like Haussmann, he decided to demolish the slums of the city center and build impressive boulevards in their place.
The most obvious result of his work is the Rue de la République, which today functions as Lyon's main shopping street. Here you will find a long row of magnificent 19th-century apartment buildings, reminiscent of their Parisian counterparts. Some of these buildings contain quite a bit of ornamentation, so it's definitely worth looking up, you might find a surprise.
Jacobins Square (Place des Jacobins)
The name “Jacobin Square” reminds every history lover of the murderous party, which was responsible for quite a few severed heads during the French Revolution.
However, in truth, the square is named after a monastery of Benedictine monks, which once stood here and has nothing to do with the revolution.
Like Republic Street, here too we clearly see the work of Wes, who created a spacious square with a fountain in the center and four statues by famous artists born in Lyon:
- Jean Hippolyte Flandrin (Hippolyte Flandrin 1809-1864) – a famous painter, who painted, among other things, on walls Church of Saint-Germain-des-Prés In Paris.
- Gérard Audran (1640-1703) – A French painter who became famous for his engravings.
- Guillaume Coustou (1677-1746) – An 18th-century French sculptor whose major works, including Marley's Horses, can be found inThe Louvre Museum In Paris.
- Philibert Delorme (1514-1570) – One of the most famous Renaissance architects in France (if not the most famous). He built, among other things, quite a few of the buildings in the old city of Lyon and of course the Palace of Fontainebleau.
Place des Terreaux and Lyon City Hall
The square, with this strange name, has existed in Lyon since the Middle Ages and was named after the muddy ground on which the city's soldiers trained. Later it was a market where pigs were sold and today it is the city's main square and the home of the Hôtel de Ville, Lyon's city hall.
Just like theHotel de Ville The famous one of the City of Lights, here too it is a very large and impressive building that is more than 400 years old. The original building was built by Louis XIII, and some say it was even bigger than the one in Paris, but it burned down during the reign of his son, Louis XIV, and was rebuilt. You will find an impressive bell tower there with four bells and a very impressive facade.
The square where the city hall is located became a chic square in the 18th century with quite a few cafes, where you can stop, drink coffee, eat a Lyonnaise pastry and continue your stroll.
Bartholdi's Fountain
When you visit the square, pay attention to a very large and impressive fountain. This fountain was built by Felix Bartholdi, who is better known for the Statue of Liberty he built in honor of the Americans, copies of which can be found near Eiffel Tower וLuxembourg Gardens.
This fountain was originally commissioned by the municipality. BordeauxHowever, due to financial difficulties, she was forced to give up on the fountain, which found itself in Lyon in 1892. This is why, although it is a fountain located in Lyon, it actually presents an allegory of the Garonne River, which flows in Bordeaux.
Palace of Fine Arts (Palais des Beaux-Arts de Lyon)
In the same square where Lyon's town hall is located, you will find the city's beautiful art museum. Previously, a Benedictine nunnery stood here, built during the 7th century, where quite a few of Lyon's noblewomen were educated. FranceThe palace we see today, which houses the museum, was built during the 17th century.
The person who turned the building into a museum was none other than Napoleon Bonaparte, who had already turned another palace (the Louvre) into a museum. You will find a truly impressive collection that includes ancient Egyptian art alongside paintings by Monet, Picasso, and other important artists.
I visited the museum in September 2022 and enjoyed it very much. The richness of the exhibits is immense and is second only toThe Louvre Museum in Paris. My recommendation is to spend about an hour and a half there at a time, so that you can truly enjoy the exhibits and not get “art poisoning.”
You can buy tickets at the museum box office, but if you have arrived in Lyon for a few days and want to visit several museums and use the city's public transportation, it is recommended that you buy theLyon City Card, which will allow you to enter all the city's museums, including free use of all the city's public transportation.
- Address: 20 Place des Terreaux
- Opening days and hours: Open every day, except Tuesday, between 10:00-18:00.
- More Information: can be found On the museum website.
Lyon Opera
The opera house was built in the early 19th century, but has undergone quite a few changes and upgrades since then. The most significant change occurred during the 20th century, when the authorities decided to enlarge the opera house and announced a competition for architects to submit plans.
The winner of the competition was architect Jean Nouvel, known to us from the “Institut du Monde Arabe” in Paris and the Louvre in Abu Dhabi. Jean Nouvel preserved the building’s neoclassical facade and the large living room on the first floor, but beyond the facade all you’ll find is an ultra-modern opera house.
Is it beautiful or not? Think about it while having a drink on the rooftop “The Muses,” built on the opera house.
If you would like to know what shows are waiting for you when you are in Lyon, and get information about the lovely bar above, you can do so via theThis site.
Saint Nizier Church
True, the facade of this church is not particularly impressive, but don't just walk past it. This church, which was once a Roman temple, became a Christian house of prayer in the 5th century and was rebuilt between the 14th and 16th centuries.
Inside you will find understated and elegant beauty and of course a chance to sit and rest from your trip so far.
Croix Rousse slopes
This neighborhood, associated with Lyon's silk industry, is located on a hill north of the Place des Terreaux, which we just visited. I have to say that I wasn't really enamored with this neighborhood and it felt like "Montmartre For the poor. However, I'm pretty sure that shopping enthusiasts will find a row of vintage stores there, and culinary enthusiasts are also welcome here, so I'll write a few words about the place.
My suggestion is to go up the pedestrian path called Montée de la Grande Côte, both to burn the calories you will accumulate during your visit to Lyon (and they will be many) and also for the view you will see when you reach the top of the hill.
During the climb up you will visit quite a few traboulas (passages between buildings, which are very typical of old Lyon), and I can't write about each of them. However, if you've already come this far, here's a traboula you can't miss.
Court of the Ravenous
This is one of the most famous travesties in Lyon and can be entered through a gate located at Place Colbert 9. I promise you that when you enter there you will feel like you are in an Asher painting 🙂
Voraces was the name of an association whose main goal was to improve the working conditions and wages of silk workers. It is therefore not surprising that they were behind the revolt of the silk workers, who were nicknamed Canuts and became a model of proletarian revolution in the books of Karl Marx.
In my opinion, this is the least beautiful trabolla I have seen in Lyon, and if it weren't for its historical value, I wouldn't have brought you there. In my opinion, the place is quite neglected and uninviting, so I decided to call it Cour Dégueulasse (Disgusting Courtyard), instead of its original name Cour des Voraces.
The Canute House (Maison des Canuts)
And speaking of silk workers. If the history of the silk industry interests you, you can visit the “Canute House” and learn how silk is made.
Address: 10-12 Rue d'Ivry
Opening days and hours: Open Tuesday-Friday between 10:00-13:00 and 14:00-18:00
More Information: can be found On the museum website.
The Roman amphitheater
This is undoubtedly the main tourist attraction of the area, since the place was built in 19 AD. An amphitheatre means two semicircular arenas, which were joined together, and here the residents of Longdunum (the name the Romans gave to Lyon) were treated to a variety of performances by lutes (dancers) and gladiators.
And speaking of gladiators and entertainment, this amphitheater is remembered in Christian history as the place where quite a few Christians were served as a “business meal” to the beasts of prey, during the year 177 AD. Some claim that if you come here at midnight you can hear the ghosts of the tortured saints crying out to God to save them.
Croix-Rousse Food Market
You can't finish a trip to one of Lyon's neighborhoods without eating something, right?
This market, located on Boulevard de la Croix Rousse, is considered the best produce market in Lyon. It is open every day except Monday, from morning until noon, and you can find all the best produce from the surrounding area there (Cheeses, vegetables and of course the intestines of various animals, which "star" in quite a few dishes of Lyonnais cuisine).
Unfortunately, I visited the area on Monday, so I don't have any photos of the place to show you, but you're welcome to take a look at this video to get an idea:
enjoy your meal!
Where to stay to travel on the Presqu'île
If you have the money, I highly recommend living in InterContinental, which I wrote about in this article. If you are looking for a good and slightly cheaper hotel, I recommend Mercure Lyon Center Saxe Lafayette, where I stayed for the first time in September 2022 (the hotel is about a ten-minute walk from the Presqu'île).
If there is no room in these two hotels, you should check out theThis article There you can find other recommended hotels in the area.
We are now in lovely Lyon, enjoying your recommendations.
Glad to hear 🙂