From Vieux-Lyon to Place des Terreaux, over the years
Through the ages…
On either side of the river Saône, you can see the gradual development of Lyon’s architecture from the Renaissance to the twentieth century.
Discover districts with a unique atmosphere that have been marked by social and technological transformations, including historical events big and small.
From the narrow paved streets of Vieux-Lyon (Old Lyon) to the Art Nouveau façades of the neighbourhood La Martinière, relive Lyon’s evolution in fast forward!
Tour provided by ONLYLYON Tourisme et Congrès's tour guides
Worth knowing
- Please ensure you arrive 10 minutes before the tour commences.
- Booking is necessary.
- Cancellation free of charge 72 hours before schedule activity.
- Children and minors remain under the responsibility of their parents during this visit. The participation of an adult is mandatory for each reservation.
The guides
Delphine
Hej, hallo, hello, bonjour I'm Delphine, one of the twenty or so lecturing guides that work for the Guides' Bureau.Our service is incredibly rich: we all have our own profiles, our own interests, our own areas of study and our own favourite type of public.
And we all have one thing in common: LYON
What I love is the variety of its districts and their architecture, the wealth and diversity of its history and the Men who built it, the beauty of its monuments, particularly the light reflected from the façades that border the Saône early in the morning or at the end of the day; it's a trip in itself!
So after language studies which took me to live in Denmark and Germany, I returned to Lyon to work as a guide to lift the veil on "Myrelingues la Brumeuse"* and to share my enthusiasm with you who have come here to discover it or immerse yourself in it. (*title of a book by Claude le Marguet, set in 1536 in Lyon)
Paa gensyn, bis bald, see you soon, à bientôt !
Laurence
All I need is a sturdy pair of shoes and a good hat, and I'm ready to take you on a "voyage through our city" I'll be delighted to take you on a discovery tour of our "landmark" sights as well as my own favourites.
In other words, I'd like to help you gain insight into the soul of our city! And on the way, I'll tell you all about the history and art of our UNESCO-listed capital.
Véronique
When seeking to share Lyon's heritage with people, I like to broach the question from the viewpoint of technical skills and know-how, and even economy, whether it's architecture and town planning, or vineyards and gastronomy.
The essential tourist and cultural pass to make the most of your stay in Lyon!
Discover
& practical information
Duration
2 hours visit
Type
Guided tour on foot
Prices
Adults
€14.00
From 8 to 18 & students
€9.00
Children under 8
Free
Meeting place
Place du Change, Lyon 5th
Access
Metro A > Hôtel de Ville - Louis Pradel or metro D > Vieux-Lyon, then 10 mn on foot
of your french is not great, take the English tour
by houstonian
I took this French language tour because the English tours were full. I generally understand French pretty well, but this tour enters a lot of traboules where the guide had to speak very softly. This made it much harder for me to understand. Hold out for the tour in English if your French is not completely fluid
Excellent, interesting and thorough tour.
by claudia
The guide was very knowledgeable and very clear in her explanations, this being said by someone who doesn't speak french fluently. She made everyone feel comfortable with asking questions and constantly asked for understanding.
Fantastic walking tour
by mrs v
If you want to learn more about the history of Lyon and it’s architecture then this is the perfect tour. Our guide was excellent, very knowledgeable and we learned so much about the buildings in the old town. The highlight of the tour was getting to see what was behind some of the doors - the amazing courtyards and balconies. Would highly recommend.
With reservation
by joe moore
Our guide was interesting and well informed. The group was too big for her to be heard consistently. Our walk was on a weekend. Perhaps a weekday walk would have been better.
More than 70 guided tour themes, in 9 languages, 30 passionate guides: the most complete offer in Lyon!
