By Air

Lyon-Saint-Exupry International Airport is one of France’s busiest airport facilities and has direct connections with dozens of domestic and overseas destinations via major carriers. All city transfer options are on the table for getting to Lyon and away from the airport including by train, shuttle, bus, taxi and limousine. Car hire is also a popular choice.

By Rail

Lyon is also a rail hub with high-speed connections coming in from Paris (2 hours); Lille (3 hours); and Marseille (1 hour, 30 minutes). Existing lines and services are popular and efficient, yet future high-speed lines will make getting to Lyon by rail even more popular.

By Bus

Travelling to Lyon by bus is not the most attractive transport option, but it will save you money. There are many services from the capital every day. Buses leave for Lyon from Paris every hour as well as from Marseille, Nice and many other major cities.

By Car

Although located in a fairly remote corner of the country, as France’s third city, Lyon is very well served by motorway, with direct access from many major centres. The main A6 motorway approaches from the north and links Lyon with Paris, while the A7 continues south and onto Marseille and then to the rest of the Cote d’Azur via the A8. If you are coming from Spain, the Spanish A7 meets with the French A9 at the border and continues to the town of Orange (north of Avignon), where it meets with the Marseille to Lyon A7. Popular routes also enter from the east, with the A40/A42 coming from Geneva, Switzerland and the A43 from Chambery.

Cathdrale St-Jean, Htel Dieu, Mosque de Lyon, National Opera House of Lyon, Parc de la Cerisaie

Cathdrale St-Jean

Located at the foot of Fourvière Hill, below the Basilique de Notre Dame, Cathédrale St-Jean, begun in the 1100s and over 200 years in the making, was built on the site of a 5th century church. With its Roman and Gothic forms, the cathedral boasts ancient glass mosaics, some of which date from the 14th century, as does the 650-year-old astronomical clock.

Htel Dieu

Hospital turned hotel, the landmark Hôtel Dieu dates from the 12th century and its workings as a hospital were used as a model for hospitals all over France. This huge edifice is situated on the river and is characterised by a very long façade and a gorgeous courtyard and gardens. The building was expanded in the 18th century by the much revered Paris Pantheon architect, JG Soufflot.

Mosque de Lyon

Lyon Mosque is a fairly recent addition to the Lyon skyline, with its construction having begun in 1992. Saudi Arabia’s King Fahd was the mosque’s main benefactor and its look is in stark contrast to the conforming cathedrals of Lyon. More than 200 columns bear a glass pyramid at its entrance and the prayer rooms indicate the direction of Mecca.

National Opera House of Lyon

An attraction in itself, the National Opera House is 300 years old and lies at the centre of Lyon. The opera house features 1,200 seats and many people simply come to gaze at the marvellous architecture, while those who get to catch a show are in for a wonderful treat; the acoustics are superb.

Parc de la Cerisaie

One of Lyon’s most beautiful parks, Parc de la Cerisaie, is loaded with art in the form of sculptures by the likes of JB Raynaud and B Pages. Now a public park, it was originally the home of the Gillet family. Today, the fabulous mansion is used as a museum to display some fantastic artwork. There is also an art and music research centre here and the city views from the park are outstanding.

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