The painted walls take the stage
A tour to rediscover Croix-Rousse in a different way, by letting the walls speak for themselves!
Let us tell you about the history of Croix-Rousse and Lyon in a way that's sure to surprise you!
Another way of evoking Lyon’s history and two famous areas: "Trompe l’oeil"murals and wall-sized frescoes are essential reference points in the urban landscape!
This sheds new light on the district: the Canuts are here, of course, but so is the Silk Route, the painted vegetated wall of the Annonciade, that takes you on a voyage, the one that pays tribute to the painter Tony Tollet and the fresco that closes the tour, that of Lyon's most famous people.
Themes vary to tell the history and the stories of Lyon's men and women, traditions and know-how, as well as the social aspects, not forgetting the techniques used to produce murals… An art that's specific to Lyon.
It's incredible what you can learn without effort, just by looking at the murals that punctuate the gently sloping itinerary of this lovely guided tour.
Worth knowing
- Be careful, the descent of the slopes of the Croix-Rousse involves many stairs.
- End of the visit in the Terreaux district.
The advantages of this visit
You will be able to discover during this guided tour
- Some superb painted walls
- "Wall of the Canuts"
- Some of the most beautiful works of Cité Création in Lyon
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.
Catherine
"Look and listen to the stones of my city".
Teaching people to look, telling stories, making sense of things, that's mainly what motivates me in my job.
My own personal story has mainly unfolded in Lyon, which I have proudly seen blossom over the past decades.Sharing with visitors from all over the world -I speak English and German- the beauty of my city is a great pleasure to me, and an honour. But what I also like is talking to the locals themselves, while helping them understand the specific characteristics of their area.
Fabienne
How lucky I am to have been able to study the history of art and archaeology in Lyon. It's magic! From the Roman theatres to the Musée des Confluences, past, present and future combine in beauty and harmony, just like the gold, silver and silk threads woven by the canuts.
Let's set out for a spot of "trabouling" with Rabelais' ghost, who will lead us from Hôtel-Dieu to the wealthy homes of the merchant bankers in Vieux-Lyon, stopping at inns, bouchons or star-rated restaurants on the way…
Let your eyes feast on the golden light that's worthy of Italy, and gilds the slopes of Croix-Rousse on summer evenings as you stroll along the embankment amid the seagulls and boats.
I love this city because life is so sweet here, and I love telling visitors all about it, as the enthusiastic urbanist in me sees the city as a living organism.
Charlotte
Originally from the countryside surrounding Lyon, I went travelling around the world before returning to Lyon, which many French people rate as the most beautiful city in France, except for their home town of course!
As a child, I always associated Lyon with the zoo in Tête d’Or Park, with its bear, elephants, lions and other animals. Later on, as an apprentice archaeologist in Fourvière, I discovered the city’s history and heritage.
I hope to share my passion for art and history with you during your stay and take you back through time as you discover the birth of this great city in the traboules (hidden passageways) of Vieux-Lyon (Old Lyon), imagine the sounds of the silk looms on the slopes of Croix-Rousse hill (where the silk industry once thrived), and learn about Lyon through its painted walls in the city centre. In short, I want to share my love for the city!
From Fourvière Basilica to the museums in the Presqu’île district, I know how to get children interested in history and heritage, without forgetting the parents of course! My tours are lively and dynamic, so you can feel the heartbeat of my city and feel at home.
Far away from Lyon, my specialism at university was Egyptology, and my second passion is Japan: once you get me started on these subjects it’s difficult to stop me!
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
2h visit
Type
Walking guided tour
Meeting place
In front of the 'Wall of the Canuts', at the corner of boulevard des Canuts and rue Denfert-Rochereau, Lyon 4th.
Access
Metro C > Hénon
