Lyon, France’s third largest city and reputed gastronomic capital of the world, sits at the junction of the Rhône and Saône rivers.
If you are on your way to Spain, direct daily high speed services to Barcelona (and Girona & Figueres) mean Lyon is a good place for changing trains and you might well find yourself with an hour or two spare. So why not go for a stroll?
The station is located in Lyon's business district and sits next to Westfield Shopping Centre.
Ineractive map
Luggage
You can leave any luggage at Galerie Villette.
https://www.sncf.com/fr/gares/lyon-part-dieu/OCE87723197/services-en-gares
Strolls
Gastro-stroll (2K blue)
Does Lyon still deserve its gastronomic reputation? You can find out by visiting Les Halles de Lyon Paul Bocuse.
Leave the station facing the Westfield Centre and turn right. At the end of the road, turn left onto Cours Lafayette. Continue along the road for about 500 metres and you will see the large shiny entrance to Les Halles on your left. But before going in, look at the building behind you and you should see a mural of a chef - he's Paul Bocuse.
google images
There are (currently) 55 outlets selling everything comestible (yes there are frogs legs...), including 12 cafes and restaurants. Bon appetite!
Vieux Lyon (6k red)
On this wander we'll go and see old Lyon.
Continue from Les Halles in the Gastro-stroll and follow Cours Lafayette all the way down.
As you go on, the buildings seem to get progressively fancier.
Cross the river over the Pont Lafayette and you are now entering UNESCO territory. This area is noted for the way its progressive expansion Eastwards has laid out 2000 years of history, with each stage of growth adding a new layer - a bit like a onion. The upshot is that there are many fine buildings dating from all periods.
Continue straight on along Place des Cordeliers and again, straight on to Rue Grenette. At the end of this street you approach the river. No, it's not deja vu, but the River Saone - the confluence of both rivers, along with the defendable high ground of Fourvière and Croix-Rousse, has made this a prime spot since antiquity.
The impressive looking church on the hill is La Basilique Notre Dame de Fourvière and by all accounts is pretty spectacular (I haven't been in).
Let's cross the river.
On the other side, carry on through the gap in the barrier on the right and on to the distinctively narrower Rue de la Baleine and continue to the end.
We are now in the heart of Vieux Lyon.
If you want to go on an unusual wander, why not try the hidden passages of the Traboulles which run between houses and through courtyards and provided short-cuts to allow the Lyonnaise to get round town.
Otherwise turn left down the narrow cobbled street of Rue Saint-Jean and past the severe-looking Court of Appeal.
Keep walking as far as the cathedral (built 1180-1476) which is on the UNESCO World Heritage List and subject of pictures by Turner and Degas. If you have time why not pop in and see its 16th century astronomical clock.
If you would like to go further back in time, or get some great views of the city, there's an extended walk below (orange on the map).
Otherwise let's wend our way back to the station by a different route. Turn left down Rue Saint-Etienne, which runs down the side of the cathedral, and go through the Jardin Archéologique, which contains the remains of the old 6th Century Cathedral, and head for the far corner.
Cross the 'Passerelle du Palais de Justice' foot-bridge and continue down Rue de l'Ancienne Préfecture which leads on to the rather ornate Place des Jacobins
Cross the square and continue straight on down the shop-lined Rue Childebert (crossing the Place de la République). Keep going until you get back to the Rhône and cross Pont Wilson. Carry on down Rue Servient all the way to the Westfield Centre and through to the station.
Roman Theatre with cityscape view - 2k uphill extension (orange)
You can get a real sense of the immensity of Lyon by heading for the high ground.
If you want to save your legs, there is a funicular railway (pink line on map) running from from Cathédrale Saint-Jean to Minimes.
(There's also a route to Fourvière and the spectacular La Basilique Notre Dame de Fourvière.)
Or you could take the more spartan way by walking up to the Roman Theatre. Well, it is character (and calf muscle) building...(orange route).
Cross Place Saint-Jean and continue straight onto Avenue du Doyenné. Go past Vieux Lyon - Cathédrale Saint-Jean station and take the next right up Rue Mourguet. At the end turn left onto Rue Tramassac, followed by a slight right up Montée du Gourguillon which leads into Rue des Farges.
At the top cross the road and turn left. Very shortly you will come to a path which leads across the park (Place des Minimes). On the other side of the park turn right and then go through the white gates to the Roman theatre.
UNESCO put Lyon on the map because
"instead of rebuilding on itself, the city progressively expanded towards the east, thus conserving all the forms of town planning of the different eras alongside each other."
and you can sort of see that from up here - especially as we have walked through it.
Incidentally, the towers in the distance are in Part-Dieu - that's where we have come from.
Big innit?
This Roman theatre, built around 15 BCE could seat up to around 10,000 people and is still used for the Nuits de Fourvière festival. If this place impresses you, then just wait until you get to Orange, Arles or Nimes, which are only a couple of hours away by train.
To get back, go the way you came and rejoin the Vieux Lyon stroll route at the Cathedral.
National Memorial prison (2k purple)
If you haven't got much time in Lyon, or want to learn more about a sobering side of recent French history, you may want to visit Montluc Prison which has been turned into a memorial. It tells the story of some of the incarcerations during the Second World War and Algerian Crisis. It is undergoing renovation until 2025 but is still open to the public.
To get there, leave the station by Port Alpes onto La Place de Francfort and cross over the tramway and go past the bus terminal to the far side of the road and turn right and walk down the Rue de Villette.
Keep going straight on and eventually you'll go past the Hôtel de Police on your left. The former prison is the next building on the left.
Useful info
For purchasing tickets here's a link to the Trainline