The wings of the Lyon National Opera
From the top of the pediment of the Opera revisited by Jean Nouvel, eight muses are watching you ... but where's the ninth?
Today’s opera house stands on the site of an 18th century theatre, imagined by Soufflot and rebuilt in the 19th century by Chenavard and Pollet.
A century later, the Lyon National Opera, renovated by Jean Nouvel, was inaugurated in 1993.
This is your opportunity to discover the extent of the project of the French architect who renovated the 18th century Opera house, preserving its neo-classical façade by surmounting it with an imposing glass dome.
An architectural feat!
Worth knowing
- Acces subjet to authorisation, incliding special price.
- Please not that the visit includes climbing stairs.
The advantages of this visit
You will be able to discover during this guided tour
- One of the jewels of Lyon's architecture
- Backstage at the Opéra National de Lyon
- Details of the facade and the muses of the Opera
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.
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!
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.
& practical information
Duration
1h30 visit
Type
Walking guided tour
Meeting place
In front of the Lyon NationaI Opera, Place de la Comédie - Lyon 1st
Access
Metro A or C > Hôtel de Ville
