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Lyon

France travel guide

What to see in Lyon

France’s food capital, with a Renaissance old town, two rivers and the Festival of Lights in December.

Updated 19 October 2026 · How we make our guides

  • 7 must-see places
  • Best time: from March to June and from September to November
  • Typical food: Salade lyonnaise
Photo: Dennis G. Jarvis · CC BY-SA 2.0

Lyon highlights

The places you can’t miss. In the app we sort them by day and close to each other.

  1. Vieux Lyon

    The Renaissance district, with its traboules: passageways that cut through buildings from courtyard to courtyard.

  2. Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourvière

    At the top of the hill, with the best views of the city.

  3. Roman theatres of Fourvière

    The theatres of ancient Lugdunum, still used for concerts in summer.

  4. Place Bellecour

    One of the largest squares in Europe, with the equestrian statue of Louis XIV.

  5. Les Halles Paul Bocuse

    The benchmark covered market for tasting Lyon’s cheeses, charcuterie and sweets.

  6. Musée des Confluences

    A museum of science and societies in a futuristic building, where the Rhône and the Saône meet.

  7. La Croix-Rousse

    The old silk weavers’ district, with murals and viewpoints.

Day trips from Lyon

We take you straight to the best-rated tour on GetYourGuide, with its reviews and dates.

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When to travel to Lyon

The months with the fewest warnings to travel to Lyon are from March to June and from September to November.

  1. Jan with warnings
  2. Feb with warnings
  3. Mar no warnings
  4. Apr no warnings
  5. May no warnings
  6. Jun no warnings
  7. Jul with warnings
  8. Aug with warnings
  9. Sep no warnings
  10. Oct no warnings
  11. Nov no warnings
  12. Dec with warnings
  • from December to February

    Cold and short days

    In winter it’s cold in almost the whole country and it gets dark early; it’s milder on the Mediterranean coast.

    What to do: It’s the season of the Christmas markets in Alsace, and Paris has fewer people: wrap up and make the most of the morning light.

  • July, August

    High season

    In July and August the Riviera, Provence and Mont-Saint-Michel fill up, and in August many neighbourhood businesses close for the holidays.

    What to do: Book well ahead, start early at the famous sights or go in June or September.

Traditions of Lyon

  • Around 8 December Festival of Lights

    For a few days the city fills with light projections and installations, and the people of Lyon put candles in their windows.

Typical food of Lyon

The dish you have to try there and how to make it at home, to whet your appetite before the trip (or to go back to Lyon from your kitchen).

Salade lyonnaise
Photo: Kjetil Ree · CC BY-SA 3.0

Salade lyonnaise

The salad of Lyon’s bouchons: frisée lettuce, crispy bacon lardons, croutons and a poached egg on top, dressed with a mustard vinaigrette.

  • Serves 4
  • 25 min

Ingredients

  • 1 frisée lettuce
  • 200 g bacon lardons
  • 4 eggs
  • 2 slices of bread
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 5 tablespoons oil
  • Salt and pepper

How to make it at home

  1. Wash the frisée and tear it into pieces.
  2. Brown the bacon in a pan and, in its fat, fry the bread in cubes to make croutons.
  3. Make the vinaigrette by whisking the mustard, vinegar, oil, salt and pepper.
  4. Poach the eggs for 3 minutes in water with a dash of vinegar, without letting it boil hard.
  5. Dress the frisée, scatter over the bacon and hot croutons and top each plate with an egg.

The trick: When you break the yolk, it mixes with the vinaigrette and becomes the sauce.

Where and what to eat

To eat like a local: a bistro. The dishes you can’t miss are in the France guide.

Frequently asked questions about Lyon

What to see in Lyon?

Vieux Lyon, Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourvière, Roman theatres of Fourvière, Place Bellecour, Les Halles Paul Bocuse and Musée des Confluences.

What to see in Lyon in one day?

Don’t miss Vieux Lyon, Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourvière, Roman theatres of Fourvière, Place Bellecour, Les Halles Paul Bocuse and Musée des Confluences. To split it into days and areas without crossing the city back and forth, the Bagintravel app plans your trip in a minute.

What’s the best time to travel to Lyon?

The months with the fewest warnings to travel to Lyon are from March to June and from September to November.

What day trips can you take from Lyon?

Food tour, Pérouges and Beaujolais.

What is the typical food of Lyon?

Salade lyonnaise. The salad of Lyon’s bouchons: frisée lettuce, crispy bacon lardons, croutons and a poached egg on top, dressed with a mustard vinaigrette.

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Guide reviewed 19 October 2026. Places, areas and seasons: the same data the Bagintravel app uses. Sources and method.