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 The grand city of Lyon (population 415,500) is part of a prosperous urban area of almost two million people, France's second-largest conurbation. Founded by the Romans over 2000 years ago, it has spent the last 500 years as a commercial, industrial and banking powerhouse.
Lyon sports outstanding museums, a dynamic cultural life, an important university, lively pedestrian malls and such excellent cuisine that it's ranked among France's great gastronomic capitals - for people of all budgets. Orientation
The city centre is on the Presquile, a peninsula bounded by the Rhone and Saone Rivers. Place Bellecour is 1km south of place des Terreaux and 1km north of place Carnot, which is next to one of Lyon's train stations, Gare de Perrache. The other station, Gare de la Part-Dieu, is 2km east of the Presqu'ile in a commercial district called La Part-Dieu. Vieux Lyon (old Lyon) sprawls across the Saone's west bank.
The tourist office (04 72 77 69 69), place Bellecour, opens 10 am to 6 or 7 pm. The same building houses an SNCF reservations desk (closed Sunday).
Vieux Lyon
The old city, whose cobbled streets form a picturesque ensemble of restored medieval and Renaissance houses, lies at the base of Fourviere hill. Equally historic buildings line rue du Boeuf, rue Juiverie (spot the bugs on the window ledges), rue des Trois Maries and rue St Jean.
The mainly Romanesque Cathedrale St Jean has a Flamboyant Gothic facade and a 14th-century astronomical clock in the north transept.
The Musee Gadagne on place du Petit College is split into the Musee de la Mari-onnette, featuring puppets, and the Musee Historique, which paints the history of Lyon. Both are closed Tuesday (4/2 €).
Fourviere
Two thousand years ago, the Romans built the city of Lugdunum on Fourviere's slopes. Today the hill - topped by the Tour Metallique (1893), a sort of stunted Eiffel Tower - offers spectacular views of Lyon, its two rivers and - on clear days - Mont Blanc. The easiest way to the top is to ride the funicular railway (between 6 am and 10 pm) from place Edouard Commette in Vieux Lyon. Use a bus/metro ticket or buy a 2 € funicular return.
The excellent Musee de la Civilisation Gallo-Romaine, 17 rue Cleberg, is worth seeing even if you're not into Roman history (closed Monday and Tuesday). The two neighboring, rebuilt Roman amphitheatres host rock and classical music concerts during the Les Nuits de Fourviere festival, held mid-June to mid-September.
Presqu'ile
The centrepiece of place des Terreaux is a monumental 19th-century fountain by Bartholdi, sculptor of New York's Statue of Liberty. Fronting the square is the town hall, built in 1655 but given its present facade in 1702. Its south side is dominated by Lyon's outstanding Musee des Beaux-Arts which showcases sculptures and paintings from every period of European art (closed Monday and Tuesday; 4/2 €).
The contemporary statue of a giant on roller skates on place Louis Pradel, north-east of the opera house, was sculpted from scrap metal by Marseilles-born sculptor Cesar (1921-98). Skateboarders and roller bladers buzz around its feet. To the south, rue de la Republique is known for its 19th-century buildings (and shops).
The Lyonnais are proud of their Musee des Tissus (Textiles Museum) at 34 rue de la Charite, where extraordinary Lyonnais silks are displayed. The Musee des Arts Decoratifs (Decorative Arts Museum) is also here (both closed Monday; 30/15FF). The history of printing, a technology firmly established in Lyon in the 1480s, is illustrated by the Musee de I'lmprimerie at 13 rue de la Poulaillerie (closed Monday and Tuesday; 4/2 €).
Other Attractions
The main city park, Pare de la Tete d'Or, sits on the east bank of the Rhone, north of La Part-Dieu. The inspirational Musee d'Art Contemporain (Contemporary Art Museum), borders the river at 81 quai Charles de Gaulle and hosts fantastic modern art exhibitions. It also has a multimedia centre devoted to digital art (closed Monday and Tuesday; 4/2 €).
The Institut Lumiere (04 78 78 18 95) at 25 rue du Premier-Film brings to life the work of motion-picture pioneers Auguste and Louis Lumiere (closed Monday; 4/3 €). Classic and cult films are screened in the cinema in the institute's grounds. In summer, films are shown outside.
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