Lyon tourism and travel guide

Visit Lyon: highlights and tourist information
Travel Guide To Visit AttractionsFrance This Way comment: Lyon has all the impressive buildings and monuments, museums, shops and restaurants that you would expect from one of the most important towns in France.
Lyon is situated in the Rhone department and Auvergne Rhône-Alpes region.
Important note
This page features a summary of highlights that you might like to explore near Lyon. For detailed visitor information see the Lyon travel guide.
Attractions in Lyon

In Vieux Lyon there are numerous impressive townhouses of the 16th century, a cathedral, and picturesque paved streets to explore: Lyon Old Town

The Presqu'ile region of Lyon is characterised by 19th century architecture and upmarket shops: Lyon Presqu'ile
Tourist classifications for Lyon include "secteur sauvegarde", "heritage site", "aquarium" and "zoo or wildlife park". It is unusual for a town to have 4 awards, which indicates how important Lyon is as a tourist destination!
Popular places to visit nearby include Lyon Old Town at 1 km and Eveux at 18 km. For more sites to visit and local tourist attractions see the map and listings below.
Lyon, France: places to visit and attractions
Some of the places that we have visited and reviewed and can recommend when you are sightseeing close to Lyon in Auvergne Rhône-Alpes.
Note that all distances below are 'direct' and real driving distances will be greater!

Lyon Presqu'ile
less than one km (direction south-south-east)The Presqu'ile region of Lyon is characterised by 19th century architecture and...
See Lyon Presqu'ile guide

Lyon Old Town
less than one km (direction south-south-east)In Vieux Lyon there are numerous impressive townhouses of the 16th century,...
See Lyon Old Town guide

Eveux
at 18 km (direction west-north-west)Eveux, in the Rhone, is visited for the La Tourette Monastery designed...
See Eveux guide

Trevoux
at 20 km (direction north-north-west), in the Ain departmentThe quiet town of Trevoux in Ain has several historical monuments paying...
See Trevoux guide

Anse
at 21 km (direction north-west)The quiet town of Anse retains some Roman remains that hint at...
See Anse guide

Bagnols
at 24 km (direction west-north-west)Bagnols village with a castle is one of the pretty villages to...
See Bagnols guide

Theize
at 26 km (direction north-west)The quiet village of Theizé makes a pleasant detour when exploring the...
See Theize guide

Vienne (town)
at 27 km (direction south), in the Isere departmentThe combination of both Roman and medieval monuments in Vienne make it...
See Vienne (town) guide

Oingt
Most Beautiful Village at 28 km (direction north-west)Completely renovated in recent years, Oingt is one of the prettiest villages...
See Oingt guide

Dombes
at 29 km (direction north-east), in the Ain departmentThe Dombes, with thousands of small lakes, is perfect for fishing and...
See Dombes guide

Perouges
Most Beautiful Village at 30 km (direction east-north-east), in the Ain departmentThe hillside walled town of perouges is among our favourite villages to...
See Perouges guide

Cremieu
at 32 km (direction east), in the Isere departmentWith some of the most extensive medieval ramparts in France, Cremieu also...
See Cremieu guide

Belleville
at 39 km (direction north-north-west)Not an important tourist town, Belleville does have a couple of sites...
See Belleville guide

Pelussin
at 41 km (direction south-south-west), in the Loire departmentThe Chateau de Virieu and the old market hall are among the...
See Pelussin guide
... or see ALL recommended places to visit in Rhone
Map of places to visit near Lyon
Markets in and near Lyon
Market days in Lyon: weekly market: every day except Monday;
- Lyon: market every day except Monday (0km)
- Caluire-et-Cuire: market Thursday & Saturday (4km)
- Ecully: market Thursday & Saturday (5km)
- La Mulatiere: market Tuesday & Friday (5km)
- Oullins: market Tuesday & Thursday (6km)
- Saint-Fons: market Tuesday & Saturday (7km)
- Bron: market Tuesday & Saturday & Monday & Friday (7km)
- Pierre-Benite: market Wednesday & Sunday (7km)
- Rillieux-la-Pape: market Wednesday & Sunday & Friday (7km)
- Decines-Charpieu: market Tuesday & Sunday & Friday (9km)
Hotels near Lyon
More information about Lyon, Rhone-Alpes
Tourist attractions near Lyon, France
What to do at Lyon? Some places with official tourist classifications and other places of interest to visit nearby that should provide inspiration if you are visiting Lyon.
Most beautiful villages in France
(see also beautiful French villages)
Recommended detour towns (fr: plus beau détour)
- Trevoux (20km)
- Cremieu (32km)
- Saint-Symphorien-sur-Coise (33km)
- Chatillon-sur-Chalaronne (40km)
- Saint-Galmier (45km)
Regional Natural Parcs
- Pilat (46km)
Churches and religious monuments
- Eglise Saint-Jean-Baptiste (Lyon) (1km)
- Abbaye Saint Martin d'Ainey (Lyon) (2km)
Remarkable gardens
- Parc de Gerland (1km)
- Parc de la Tête d'Or (2km)
- Jardins du Château de Saint-Bernard (23km)
- Parc du château de Laye (34km)
Sites of natural beauty
- Laboratoire d’écologie des hydrosystèmes naturels et anthropisés (3km)
- Grand parc de Miribel-Jonage (9km)
- Oeillon Crest (45km)
- Perdrix Crest (48km)
Towns of Art and history
- Vienne (27km)
- Saint-Etienne (49km)
Villages in bloom 4* (fr: ville fleurie)
- Ecully (5km)
- Chaponnay (17km)
- Saint-Vulbas (36km)
Zoo and/or wildlife park
- Parc animalier de Courzieu (19km)
- Parc zoologique de Saint-Martin-la-Plaine (31km)
Geography and distances
Lyon is in the eastern-center of France - it is the prefecture (capital) of the Rhone department (general information: Lyon is 391 kilometres from Paris).
Geographical Information
Commune: Lyon
Canton: Lyon
Arrondissement: Lyon
Department: Rhone
Region: Rhone-Alpes
New region: Auvergne Rhône-Alpes
Postcode: 69000
Distance to Lyon
from Lyon (prefecture): 1 km
from Paris: 391 km
from Calais: 617 km
from Nice: 299 km
from Bordeaux: 436 km
from Strasbourg: 383 km
Getting here
For driving distances to Lyon from anywhere in France see driving distances and route planner.
We have 13 other places listed as being close (less than kilometres from ): Bron, Caluire-et-Cuire, Champagne-Au-Mont-d'Or, Ecully, Francheville, La Mulatiere, Oullins, Rillieux-la-Pape, Saint-Cyr-Au-Mont-d'Or, Saint-Didier-Au-Mont-d'Or, Sainte-Foy-les-Lyon, Tassin-la-Demi-Lune and Villeurbanne.
This page in French: Visiter Lyon