Self-guided audio tour: The old town
In the heart of the old town
Visit the Old Lyon, a UNESCO World Heritage site, with this self-guided audio-tour designed by Laura, a professional guide who is passionate about her work. Explore the district with your smartphone, which will begin stories and give directions automatically, at the right place and the right time. Leaving from the square in front of Saint-Jean Cathedral, follow your guide’s voice on your smartphone, which will tell stories automatically when you reach the spot where they happened.
Visit the iconic Saint-Jean Cathedral, which is almost 1000 years old. Paved streets, magnificent Renaissance façades, traboules (hidden passageways) and beautiful inner courtyards give this district its unique character. You can continue your journey with a visit to the Musée Cinéma et Miniature and its amazing film set displays, including the actual Alien queen from the film Alien vs. Predator! (Museum admission fee required). You will also discover the hidden stories behind the Lyonnais dialect, with words and expressions such as ‘canuts’ and ‘riche comme Gadagne’, as well as Lyon’s famous puppet Guignol. Finally, the tour ends with ‘la ficelle des morts’, the name given to the funicular that took the bodies of the deceased up to the top of Fourvière hill.
Worth knowing
- A fully charged smartphone, the Rewind app, earbuds or headphones, and an Internet connection are required to enjoy this tour.
- The Rewind app is available for Apple iOS or Google Android.
- You can begin this tour when you please, from 10 am to 5:30 pm.
- Please go to the rendezvous point to activate the commentary and begin your self-guided audio-tour.
- Want to take a break? No problem, you can pick up your tour where you left off, whenever you wish.
- When your purchase is complete, you will receive a confirmation email with the activation code for the tour and instructions to follow to download the app.
- Tour not recommended for people with reduced mobility.
- Non-cancellable and non-refundable tour.
The essential tourist and cultural pass to make the most of your stay in Lyon!
Discover
& practical information
Duration
1h30 visit
Type
Self-guided audio tour
Meeting place
Place Saint-Jean - Lyon 5th
Access
Metro D > Vieux-Lyon
Accurate and Interesting
by tracey b
So easy to use with GPS, and interesting basic facts to get the idea of history and sites. I am not into guided group tours, and this was an amazing alternate to learn about the area at my own pace and wander as I liked through a beautiful Old Lyon.
Very good
by an
This worked very well for me as the last short sightseeing to squeeze in the afternoon of the last day in Lyon before the evening flight, GPS and navigation made me confused a bit and I think I missed a few doors but overall I loved the experience and totally worth it.
Overall very good tour
by paige
Overall it was a good walking tour. Few areas were not accessible and the tour had a difficult time skipping to the next part. But other than that it was good.
Old town audio guide
by cathy
Love doing the old town self guided walking tour at my own pace and stopping to visit a couple of museums and for lunch. The only down side was that a few things in the guide were not accessible and I feel a little uncomfortable pushing open random doors to access less common places.
Exploring Lyon Old Town
by jt
Really enjoyed the self guided audio tour of Lyon Old Town, especially exploring the Traboules!
The Rewind app worked great, starting and stopping automatically, just at the right location. Thanks!
Helpful guide to Explorer Lyon
by koukou
Good alternative to the in-person guided tour. The audioguide allows you to explore the Old Town of Lyon at your own pace. Great customer service from the tourist office.
Interesting
by maryse
Good audio tour, however not always easy to orient yourself between stops as instructions are given rather quickly. Would recommend that the instructions to next point of interest be written on screen instead of ´you are off track’!
Great self guided tour
by david from england
This was a really excellent walk. Took us to many places we would not otherwise have discovered in Lyon. Took about as long as the estimate suggests. Well worth doing.
It does need tidying up and updating now, one or two of the locations are now permanently inaccessible.
Walk and you will see
by cadish
The self-guided walking tour was very good and I learned a lot about Lyon and French history. However, sometimes the audio would quit and some of the locations are out if date.
For example, the bakery referenced no longer exists and the food court is closed, with paper on all the windows. Perhaps substitute two locations in their place or update the audio on what used to be in those spaces. Other than that, you can't beat the price and it was worth it despite the flaws.
Response from ONLYLYON Tourism
12/05/2025 by Laetitia, City Advisor
Thank you for your feedback. We will make the necessary updates based on your comments. Thanks to you!
The happy city of Lyon
by frey
Ville heureuse de Lyon avec une large composition de cultures différentes, de nombreux musées et une histoire ancienne. Les vestiges d'un aqueduc construit par les Romains sont visibles bien au-delà de la ville. Très impressionnant et recommandé aux randonneurs. La visite audio est également recommandée, notamment parce qu'elle débloque (avec l'autorisation des résidents) des passages qui autrement resteraient cachés à la rue. Une voix amicale explique l'histoire des bâtiments lyonnais et ne recule pas devant les détails croustillants.
