Croix-Rousse
The bottom of the slopes of Croix-Rousse hill, from east to west
Famous for its many stairs and hidden passageways, known as ‘traboules’, the Croix-Rousse district is closely linked with the local silk industry that established itself here in the nineteenth century. But who were the people behind this industry and were they always located here?
From the ‘Maison Tolozan’ to the ‘Condition des Soies’, this tour covers the main stages of the silk industry, which replaced the many religious orders that were present on Croix-Rousse hill until the French Revolution: a less well-known part of the city’s history, but one which has left discernible traces in the urban landscape.
By the river Saône, discover the La Martinière neighbourhood and its Art Nouveau architecture.
This tour can be enjoyed by people of all ages (there aren’t too many stairs to climb)!
Tour provided by ONLYLYON Tourisme et Congrès's tour guides
Worth knowing
Accessibility: some stairs!
Please ensure you arrive 10 minutes before the tour commences.
Booking is necessary online or at +33(0)4 72 77 69 69
Cancellation free of charge 72 hours before schedule activity.
Covid-19: in order to protect your health and that of residents, this tour is temporarily unavailable
Duration
2 hours
Kind
Guided tour on foot
Access
Metro A > Hôtel de Ville - Louis Pradel
Meeting point
In front of the Opera house, Place de la Comédie - Lyon 1st
Prices
What is La Fabrique?
The term refers to all trades involved in designing, manufacturing and marketing silk fabrics. In Lyon La Fabrique enjoyed its heyday during the 18th century, a century of fame for the city's silk trade, the influence of which was felt worldwide.
for groups
30 anthusiastic guides : an unprecedented offer indeed!
Tourism Professionals | Group of people
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Tour 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.
Jérôme
During tours, people often ask me if I'm a student. I'm too old for that. I'm a historian without the qualifications. I'm an architect without the diploma. But I was born in Lyon, and I enjoy helping members of the public discover this city which is a lot more than just a row of lovely façades.
You have to get a feel for the substance of the past, the depth of roots, the art of construction, the relation with light, the appeal of good food, one's relationship with a site, and the diversity of the different areas.
What you see counts of course, but as far as I'm concerned, a tour is only successful when people have had a good time, when I've managed, throughout the tour, to take them behind the scenes, to give them a sense of how people lived in those days and how we live in the city today.
I'm often delighted to hear people say they want to come back and spend more time here.
Anneliese
Lyon has been my city of adoption for several decades now, so as a polyglot with a lovely Austrian accent to boot and a passion for Lyon, I'm here to take you on a discovery tour of the city and its surrounding areas.
I'll be delighted to guide you through this great city, from Roman times to the 21st century!
Claude
Lyon adopted me 34 years ago and I love it!
Studying languages and the history of art as well as having a passion for history determined my career as a lecturing guide.
Although I moved to Lyon by chance, I must admit I love this city and feel happy here!
I love Lyon for its past and present that combine and merge in the melting pot of history, and are also apparent in its incredible vitality that many city's envy!
I adore the uniqueness of Lyon… its glorious Roman past which archaeologists never tire of revisiting, as well as Vieux-Lyon, its Renaissance area (second only to Venice) and its secret and mysterious traboules.
My love for Lyon also resides in my love of food, as this world capital of gastronomy boasts a record of one restaurant for 294 people!
I love Lyon for its culture, its biennials and its museums which are the stuff dreams are made of!
So many reasons that explain why I'm so very attached to Lyon and wouldn't leave it for an empire..., as far as I'm concerned, it's ONLY LYON!
Magali
The decision to change my choice of studies to the History of Art at university, then to attend the School of Art and Communication was an obvious choice.
I completed by studies with a diploma to be a lecturing guide, which is an essential prerequisite when training to be a guide…
Having always lived between Rhône and Saône, I love travelling the length and breadth of Lyon. With each new viewpoint, I add new touches to my internal painting of its landscape.
In a city that lies at the crossroads of so many different influences, I never tire of going from one area to another, experiencing the change of century, architecture and atmosphere.
Discovering Lyon, is also about meeting the locals, past and present, that have marked the city, and to whom we owe our heritage, our particular characteristics, our "lyonnitude".
Bénédicte
My tours invite you to view the city like a tightrope walker balancing between light-heartedness and knowledge, gastronomy and architecture, silk and alchemy, football and botany, cinema and historic periods... And many other subjects that are the essence of Lyon.
Although I'm interested in the world in general, I chose to return to the city where I grew up, not to work but to pursue a passion: guiding visitors through Lyon, my home town. I will take you on a trip through time, from past to future, in a city where you can never be bored, and where there's something of interest for every generation. .
So if you want to discover the different areas in Lyon like a real little "gone" (street urchin), don't hesitate to follow me! I've worn out many pairs of trainers in the traboules and on the slopes of the three hills, I'm acquainted with Guignol's entire repertoire, and know where you can enjoy the best mâchons.
If you're interested, I'll be waiting under the horse's tail!
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.
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