Lyon, situated at the confluence of the Rhône and Saône rivers in eastern France, is a fascinating city with a long and storied history. As France’s third largest city and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Lyon has plenty to offer visitors. From world-class museums and vibrant neighborhoods to exceptional cuisine and ample shopping, Lyon shines as one of Europe’s most captivating destinations.
| Activity Category | Specific Activities | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Neighborhoods | Presqu’île, Croix-Rousse, Vieux Lyon | Explore diverse and vibrant districts, each offering unique experiences like historical sights, shopping, and cafes. |
| New Openings | La Maison de la Danse, Part-Dieu Tower, Musée des Confluences | Visit new cultural and architectural landmarks, including dance venues and museums. |
| Cuisine | Le Comptoir Elles & Cie, Les Terrasses de Lyon, Paul Bocuse Cooking School | Enjoy cutting-edge culinary experiences from world-renowned chefs and restaurants. |
| Arts Events | Biennale de Lyon, “Gods and Heroes of Ancient Egypt” exhibit, Nuits de Fourvière | Participate in major art festivals and exhibitions showcasing contemporary and ancient art. |
| Day Trips | Beaujolais Wine Country, Medieval Pérouges | Explore nearby wine regions and historical villages for a diverse cultural experience. |
| Outdoor Activities | Cycling, River Sports, Urban Hikes | Engage in various outdoor activities like cycling, water sports, and hiking in scenic areas. |
As 2024 approaches, new cultural events, infrastructure projects, and openings will make Lyon an even more alluring place to explore. Whether you want to dive into Lyon’s past, experience its dynamic present, or have a jump on its future, 2024 promises to be an exceptional year to visit this iconic French city.
Explore Lyon’s Vibrant Neighborhoods
Lyon comprises many distinct neighborhoods (known locally as “quartiers”), each with its own unique vibe. In 2024, getting to know Lyon’s most energetic districts promises captivating strolls, one-of-a-kind shops and cafés, and opportunities to mingle with locals.
Presqu’île
Name and Location: Presqu’île, Lyon, France
History and Significance: Presqu’île is the heart of Lyon located between the Saône and Rhône Rivers. This lively district contains high-end shops, museums, dining, and nightlife. Major landmarks include the Opera House, City Hall, and Place des Terreaux. Presqu’île connects Lyon’s historic neighborhoods.
What to Expect: Fashionable streets for strolling include Rue du Président Édouard Herriot and Rue de la République. The district transitions from daytime shopping and cafes to buzzing bars and clubs at night. Stop by a praline shop for Lyon’s famous confection.
Visitor Information: Metro lines A and D stop at Bellecour in the heart of Presqu’île. Major sights are walkable from this central point. Streets are pedestrian-friendly with shops open late.
The Presqu’île, a peninsula between the Saône and Rhône Rivers, holds Lyon’s medieval heart. Wind through atmospheric alleys that have changed little in centuries as you explore sights from Roman ruins to brooding Gothic facades. The Presqu’île also claims high-end shops and eateries, making it a hotspot for both history and luxury.
In 2024, new riverside development projects will further enhance the Presqu’île. Expect expanded promenades, green spaces, and waterside seating ideal for soaking up gorgeous views.
Croix-Rousse
Name and Location: Croix-Rousse, Lyon, France
History and Significance: Croix-Rousse is a hillside neighborhood north of central Lyon where silk weavers (canuts) traditionally worked. Distinctive long apartments with arcades were built for the weavers’ large looms. Today, Croix-Rousse has a charming village vibe with cafes, boutiques and a local market.
What to Expect: Must-see sights include the mur des canuts wall mural depicting weavers, staircased Traboules passageways, and Maison des Canuts showcasing historic silk workshops. Stop for a drink on the Place de la Croix-Rousse square.
Visitor Information: Take metro line C to Croix-Rousse station then explore the slopes on foot. Or walk up from Presqu’île via the Montée de la Grande Côte stairs. Visit on a weekday when the market is open.
North of Presqu’île, “la Croix-Rousse” climbs a steep hillside with endless stairs that lead to panoramas over Lyon. Once home to rebellious silk weavers, today it claims vintage shops, cozy cafés, and a vibrant daily market.
2024 will unveil a new funicular linking Croix-Rousse to Lyon Part-Dieu train station, making this atmospheric district more accessible than ever.
Vieux Lyon
Name and Location: Vieux Lyon, France
History and Significance: Vieux Lyon, located below Fourvière hill, is the Renaissance historic heart of Lyon. Its cobblestone streets are lined with medieval and Baroque architecture housing shops, restaurants and museums. Traboules passageways wind through interior courtyards. Vieux Lyon provides an immersive glimpse into Lyon’s past.
What to Expect: Highlights include the Gothic Cathédrale St-Jean, Automata Museum, and artsy shops on Rue St-Jean. Stop for a meal at a classic Lyonnaise bouchon bistro. Wandering the atmospheric traboules and riverfront are also musts.
Visitor Information: Access via metro to Vieux Lyon station or funicular from Fourvière. Get lost wandering the pedestrian streets but don’t miss the cathedral and traboules. Try a guided walk for insider context.
With its labyrinth of medieval and Renaissance architecture, Vieux (“Old”) Lyon dazzles history buffs. Steeped in character after 2,000 years of existence, Vieux Lyon promises antique shops, grand Baroque churches, and Instagram-worthy details galore as you lose yourself in its web of traboules (covered passageways).
A 2024 infrastructure project will pedestrianize additional Vieux Lyon streets near Fourvière Hill, making its most historic core even more pleasant to explore without cars.
Check Out Major New Openings
Lyon continually reinvents itself, with major new projects in the works for 2024. From a cutting-edge dance venue to Lyon’s tallest skyscraper, 2024 will showcase the city’s ever-evolving present and future.
La Maison de la Danse
Name and Location: La Maison de la Danse, Lyon, France
History and Significance: La Maison de la Danse is Lyon’s newly opened state-of-the-art performance venue dedicated to contemporary dance. This sleek space houses two theaters, exhibition halls, studios, and a dance school. It aims to propel Lyon as a global dance capital and center for the avant-garde.
What to Expect: The 2024 season features boundary-pushing works by international companies and choreographers alongside emerging French talents. Performances blend dance, theater, music and technology in innovative ways. The complex also hosts workshops and classes.
Visitor Information: Located in Lyon’s 8th arrondissement, accessible by metro or tram. Performances typically start at 8pm. Ticket prices from €15. Schedule and book tickets online in advance.
Lyon’s famed contemporary dance company will unveil dazzling new headquarters along the Rhône in 2024. The light-filled complex promises performance spaces, rehearsal studios, a dance school, plus 60 rooms for guest dancers from around the world. Dubbed “La Maison de la Danse,” the complex aims to cement Lyon as a global dance capital.
Part-Dieu Tower
Name and Location: Part-Dieu Tower, Lyon, France
History and Significance: Part-Dieu Tower is a striking 42-story skyscraper that opened in 2022 as part of Lyon Part-Dieu’s commercial district redevelopment. It ranks as France’s 2nd tallest building at 689 feet. The sleek triangular tower boasts sustainable design with offices, a mall, restaurants, and spectacular panoramic views from the roof deck.
What to Expect: Take the quick elevator ride to the top for sweeping vistas of Lyon and the Alps beyond. The 360° views take in major landmarks set against the picturesque river and hill backdrop. On clear days, allow time to admire the panorama and snap photos.
Visitor Information: Located above the Part-Dieu shopping center and train station. Free to access the Skyroom observation deck. Open daily 9am-10pm, last entry at 9:30pm.
Soaring above Lyon Part-Dieu business district, the striking Part-Dieu Tower will open as Lyon’s tallest skyscraper in early 2024. This 32-story structure will feature a 135-room Mandarin Oriental Hotel plus high-end office space. The Tower’s rooftop restaurant promises stellar views sweeping from the Alps to Mont Blanc on clear days.
Musée des Confluences
Name and Location: Musée des Confluences, Lyon, France
History and Significance: The Musée des Confluences is a science and anthropology museum situated at the confluence of Lyon’s two rivers. Housed in an eye-catching modern building, it focuses on sociology, science and world cultures through interactive exhibits and diverse collections. The museum opened in 2014 as a landmark addition to Lyon’s arts scene.
What to Expect: Permanent exhibits cover topics from space science to funerary rites with engaging displays integrating archaeology and multi-media technology. Egyptian mummies, meteorites, diverse artifacts and artworks make this an intriguing, family-friendly visit.
Visitor Information: Located at the southern tip of Presqu’île. Open Tuesday-Friday 11am-6:30pm, weekends 10am-6:30pm. Closed Mondays. Admission around €9. Metro lines A and C stop directly outside.
Lyon’s spaceship-like Musée des Confluences will unveil renovated permanent exhibits in 2024 focused on science, anthropology, and the history of world civilizations. The architecture itself delivers visual drama, with its glittering titanium panel exterior built to evoke a crystal cloud. After enjoying revamped displays ranging from meteorites to Chinese antiquities, linger at the museum’s waterfront café terrace overlooking Lyon’s confluence.
Feast on Cutting-Edge Cuisine
As France’s historic gastronomic capital, Lyon spoils food lovers with outstanding restaurants spanning tiny neo-bouchons to Michelin-starred temples of haute cuisine. In 2024, tantalizing new establishments will continue Lyon’s reputation for spectacular dining.
Le Comptoir Elles & Cie
Name and Location: Le Comptoir Elles & Cie, Lyon, France
History and Significance: Led by chef Amandine Chaignot, Le Comptoir Elles & Cie is a Michelin-starred restaurant in Lyon offering creative French cuisine with locally-sourced ingredients and a wine list by female producers. Since opening in 2021, the restaurant has been praised for its contemporary dishes and mission to highlight women’s contributions to gastronomy.
What to Expect: Chic, modern interiors and a frequently changing menu of French classics reinvented with seasonal ingredients and unique twists. Sample dishes like pike dumplings in lobster sauce or Valrhona chocolate tart with lychee. Reservations are essential.
Visitor Information: Open Tuesday-Saturday for lunch and dinner. Located off Rue Mercière in central Lyon. Prix fixe menus from €45-115. Reserve well in advance via website. Closed Sundays and Mondays.
Slated to open in early 2024, Le Comptoir Elles & Cie comes from Mathilde Raverdy, named Best Woman Chef in the World for 2022. Raverdy will present seasonal tasting menus focused on local ingredients, many sourced from an adjacent urban farm that empowers refugees. Dishes like Lac du Bourget pike with quinoa from Lyon or Grenoble lamb with Rhône Valley vegetables promise to showcase both female talent and regional flavors.
Les Terrasses de Lyon
Name and Location: Les Terrasses de Lyon, France
History and Significance: Les Terrasses are open-air hillside restaurants located in Lyon’s St-Jean district offering stunning views and classic Lyonnaise cuisine. Dating back over 100 years, these dining terraces take advantage of Vieux Lyon’s prime position overlooking the city below. Visiting a Terrasse is an essential Lyon experience.
What to Expect: Sweeping views of Lyon and the Rhône River from atop the Fourvière hill. Typical French brasserie fare like magret de canard, salmon, steak frites and cheeses. Bustling, lively ambiance on warm evenings. Make reservations or arrive early to secure a table.
Hoisting diners 180 feet in the air, Les Terrasses de Lyon will crown Lyon Part-Dieu Tower when it opens as France’s highest rooftop restaurant. Under famed Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten, the menu will astound with French classics plus signature creations tailored for the venue. Lavish views through floor-to-ceiling windows will compete with exquisite cuisine for diners’ attention. Reserve early, as tables will book out months in advance.
Paul Bocuse Cooking School
Name and Location: Paul Bocuse Culinary Institute, Lyon, France
History and Significance: Named for the famous French chef Paul Bocuse, this culinary school was established in Lyon in 1990 to provide professional training in French cooking. The institute offers multi-month courses, recreational classes and food tours open to the public aiming to promote Lyon’s rich gastronomic traditions.
What to Expect: Hands-on cooking classes range from half-day sessions focused on pastries, wine pairings or holiday dishes to multi-week courses for more advanced techniques. Classes are taught in French and English. The school’s restaurant offers lunch prepared by students.
Visitor Information: Located 5km north of Lyon city center. Classes from €65, multi-week courses around €5000. Reserve well in advance on website. Metro line B to station Écully-Paul Bocuse.
After a 2024 renovation, Lyon’s Paul Bocuse Cooking School will double in size, allowing more aspiring chefs to train under Bocuse’s innovate culinary legacy. New features will include expanded kitchens, an on-site urban farm, teaching restaurant, and interactive exhibits exploring Lyon’s rich gastronomic heritage. Immersive classes and demonstrations will instill why Lyonnaise cuisine holds such importance.
Celebrate Blockbuster Arts Events
From festivals to blockbuster museum exhibits, Lyon’s jam-packed cultural calendar makes 2024 the year for engaging with exceptional arts happenings.
Biennale de Lyon
Name and Location: Biennale de Lyon, France
History and Significance: La Biennale de Lyon is a major arts festival held in Lyon every two years since 1991, showcasing international contemporary visual arts with exhibits, performances and installations. Over 150 artists participate, using iconic venues including the Musée d’Art Contemporain.
What to Expect: For three months from September to December, experience thought-provoking contemporary art displayed in museums, industrial spaces, parks and squares across the city. Combination tickets provide access to all Biennale exhibits and events.
Visitor Information: Held every even year. 2024 Biennale dates are September 14–December 31. Find tickets, schedules and maps on the official website. Metro and walking provide transportation between venues.
France’s preeminent international contemporary arts festival descends on Lyon each odd-numbered year, converting industrial sites into exhibition spaces for the next generation’s visionary creators. For three months beginning in September 2024, the Biennale will activate the entire city with avant-garde installations, genre-defying performances, and boundary-pushing dialog.
Exhibit: “Gods and Heroes of Ancient Egypt”
Name and Location: “Gods and Heroes of Ancient Egypt” at the Musée des Beaux-Arts, Lyon
History and Significance: This landmark 2024 exhibition at Lyon’s Museum of Fine Arts showcases 180 artifacts from ancient Egypt including monumental sculptures, royal sarcophagi, jewelry, and mummies. Many pieces are traveling outside Egypt for the first time, providing rare insight into the coutry’s myths, funerary practices and 5000-year history.
What to Expect: Marvel at masterpieces like the gold mask of Tutankhamun and Temple of Dendur reliefs depicting daily Egyptian life in this once-in-a-lifetime show. Audio guides provide context on beliefs, gods, and the meaning behind the intricate objects.
Visitor Information: Open June 15–September 22, 2024. Located behind the Opera House. Purchase tickets €18 in advance online due to high demand. Audio guides included.
Lyon’s Musée des Beaux-Arts will host Egyptian antiquities from Cairo’s renowned Museum of Egyptian Antiquities in a 2024 exhibit focused on deities and legendary figures. Marvel over monumental statues of pharaohs, painted sarcophagi, gilded masks, hieroglyph-covered obelisks and the famed Bust of Nefertiti. Timed tickets are already selling out for what promises to be a once-in-a-lifetime show.
Nuits de Fourvière
Name and Location: Nuits de Fourvière, Lyon, France
History and Significance: Nuits de Fourvière is an annual performing arts festival hosted in Lyon from June to August, with concerts, theater and dance shows staged after dark in the Roman Theater and other outdoor venues. Running since 1946, the festival features international talents against the dramatic illuminated backdrop of Fourvière hill.
What to Expect: Vibrant outdoor shows ranging from pop, rock and jazz concerts to modern dance, classical theatre and opera screenings with live music. Experience Lyon’s arts scene as locals do while enjoying balmy summer evenings.
Visitor Information: 2024 festival dates are June 2-August 5. Find schedules and book tickets online. Prices €20-120 depending on performance and seating. Take the funicular or stairs up to the Roman Theater.
From June through August, Lyon’s Roman amphitheater atop Fourvière Hill forms an evocative backdrop for Nuits de Fourvière Festival’s dance, music, cinema and theatre performances. The 2024 lineup looks spectacular, including a staging of Verdi’s Aida with over 300 performers. Picnicking while taking in sunset panoramas before world-class shows makes this one of Lyon’s most magical summer traditions.
Make Day Trips from Lyon
While Lyon delivers enough attractions to fill multiple visits, the surrounding Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region brims with tempting day trips. From prestigious wine regions to charming medieval villages, easy side journeys promise added layers to your 2024 trip.
Beaujolais Wine Country
Name and Location: Beaujolais Wine Country
History and Significance: The Beaujolais wine region lies just north of Lyon, known for its fruity red wines made from Gamay grapes. Its gentle rolling hills covered in vineyards make for an easy and rewarding day trip from the city. Visiting Beaujolais wineries provides a taste of rural French life paired with wine tasting.
What to Expect: Guided tours visit family-run wineries to sample Beaujolais Nouveau, Beaujolais-Villages and Crus wines while learning about winemaking. Multi-stop tours with transportation from Lyon are available. The area is especially lively during the annual Beaujolais Nouveau festival.
Visitor Information: One hour by car from Lyon. Look for organized tours or take the train to train to Mâcon or Juliénas to visit independently. Over 200 wineries welcome visitors year-round but reservations are required.
Lyon rests on the doorstep of Beaujolais country, where pathways lace through vineyards producing light-bodied red wines. Picturesque wine villages like Oingt, Brouilly and Saint-Amour hide excellent small producers.
New operators in 2024 will offer electric bike rentals and shuttle services between Mâcon train station and Beaujolais vineyards, making wine tasting tours more sustainable. Self-drivers can also follow new Beaujolais wine routes tailored for electric vehicles.
Medieval Pérouges
Name and Location: Medieval Pérouges, France
History and Significance: Just 30 minutes from Lyon, the perfectly preserved medieval town of Pérouges offers an immersive glimpse into the Middle Ages. Entirely enclosed by 14th century ramparts, it feels frozen in time with cobblestone lanes and stone houses unchanged since the 1700s. Costumed guides and shops add to the historic ambience.
What to Expect: Stroll winding roads lined in medieval garb between historic sites like the Maison des Princes and medieval Granary. Try treats like galettes and nougat before a traditional lunch at an auberge. The town comes alive during summer festivals.
Visitor Information: Trains run frequently from Lyon’s Part-Dieu station taking just 30 minutes. Attractions are open year-round though winter is very quiet. Arrive mid-morning before crowds and heat peak. No cars allowed within the fortress walls.
This remarkably preserved medieval village crowned with turreted stone ramparts looks snatched from a history book. Wandering Pérouges’ atmospheric alleys, antique shops and crêperies is a step back in time.
In 2024, new guest houses will open within the village walls for overnight stays. Costumed guides will also lead themed tours focused on medieval life, from monks and knights to medical practices and cooking.
Enjoy Outdoor Activities
Between two rivers and proximity to both the Alps and Massif Central mountains, Lyon promotes outdoor recreation in all seasons. Cycling, water sports and urban hikes keep visitors active while showcasing gorgeous scenery.
Cycling
Name and Location: Cycling in Lyon, France
History and Significance: With extensive bike paths and a bike share program, Lyon has emerged as one of France’s most bike-friendly cities. Cycling provides an active and emission-free way to experience Lyon’s sights and neighborhoods at your own pace. Paths run along the rivers and climb the scenic hills.
What to Expect: Over 180 miles of cycling routes crisscross the city. Bikes can be rented affordably for short trips or longer rides to wineries, chateaux and countryside. Lyon’s Vélo’v bike share program provides access to over 4000 bikes from docking stations around the city.
Visitor Information: Vélo’v passes €1.50/day. Helmets and locks recommended. Use bike lanes and watch for vehicles.Cycle along the river first before tackling the steeper Croix-Rousse and Fourvière climbs.
Lyon has over 170 miles of cycling paths, from traffic-free lanes along the Rhône and Saône to parks and greenways. Flexible bike hire schemes allow easy jaunts across the city.
New infrastructure projects will further expand Lyon’s cycling network in 2024, along with the introduction of pedal-assist electric bikes. Expect plenty of two-wheeled sightseeing along the waterfront or between neighborhoods.
River Sports
Name and Location: River Activities, Lyon, France
History and Significance: The Saône and Rhône rivers converging in Lyon provide scenic opportunities to get out on the water by boat, paddleboard or kayak. River cruises showcase the city from new angles while water sports take advantage of the rivers as recreational assets within an urban setting.
What to Expect: Boat tours including hop-on-hop-off options, dinner cruises and rides to riverside attractions like the Confluence Museum. Rentals for stand up paddleboarding and kayaking are also available seasonally within the city.
Visitor Information: Boat tours from €15, with different day/night routes. Rentals from around €20-30/hour. Boarding docks are centrally located. River levels are lower in August/September. Wear sun protection.
Paddling the Saône by canoe or stand-up paddleboard floats you past Lyon landmarks in a unique way. You can also kayak the Rhône’s whitewater rapids near Lyon, or arrange jet skiing and water skiing for adventurous days out.
In 2024, new rental outfitters around Lyon will offer introductory kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding lessons, opening river sports to beginners.
Urban Hikes
Name and Location: Urban Hikes in Lyon, France
History and Significance: Lyon’s location between the Saône and Rhône.
Between rivers and hills, Lyon delivers great terrain for staying active on vacation. The city has over 130 miles of municipal hiking trails threading parks, ancient passageways, and Fourvière Hill.
New trail extensions in 2024 will stretch to more neighborhoods like Vaise, while existing routes add trailside fitness equipment for well-rounded workouts. Download the mobile app Bordeaux Rando for self-guided routes based on duration, difficulty and highlights like city views.
Conclusion
Whether 2024 brings your first or tenth visit to Lyon, France’s “City of Lights” stands ready to dazzle with history, culture, food and fun. Savoring quiet moments along medieval lanes or thrilling arts at the Biennale, Lyon constantly reinvents itself while honoring its past. By mixing urban excitement with village charm along two glorious rivers, Lyon offers the best of all worlds.
As Lyon unveils chic new neighborhoods, cutting-edge attractions, and sustainable tourism infrastructure in 2024, next year beckons as an outstanding time to discover why Lyon shines as one of Europe’s favorite destinations.