Lyon, France

Lyon is the third largest city in France and centre of the second largest metropolitan area in the country. It is the capital of the Rhone-Alpes region and the Rhône département. The city is known for its historical and architectural landmarks and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Lyon was historically known as an important area for the production and weaving of silk and in modern times has developed a reputation as the capital of gastronomy in France.

Lyon is shaped by its two rivers, the Rhône (to the East) and the Saône (to the West), which both run North-South. The main areas of interest are Fourvière hill, Vieux Lyon (Old Lyon), Presqu'île, Croix-Rousse, Confluence, Part-Dieu, Brotteaux, Guillotière, Etats-Unis and Vaise.

There are many sights of interest in Lyon including the Roman ruins on the hillside near the Fourviere Basilica with the Ancient Theatre of Fourvière, the Odeon of Lyon and the accompanying Gallo-Roman Museum, the Amphitheatre of the Three Gaul and the roman ruins of an amphiteatre. There are many churches dating back to the Middle Ages and Renaissance and buildings built in the 17th and 18th century.

Things to See & Do

* The Roman ruins and view from Fourvière basilica, and the basilica itself
* Streets and traboules in Vieux Lyon, St Jean cathedral
* Traboules in Croix-Rousse
* Musée des beaux-arts de Lyon – main museum of the city
* Parc de la Tête d'Or – Golden Head Park in central Lyon

General Information

Cruise Season – March - Dec
Currency – Euro (EUR)
Language – French
Land Area – 47.95 km²
Population – 483,300 approx
Electricity – 2 round pins European style.
Time – UTC plus one hour
International Country Telephone Code – + 44

Port Location – The river port at Lyon is located on the Rhone river.

Travel Links – Lyon's Saint-Exupéry Airport (formerly known as Satolas), some 25 km east of Lyon, is a rapidly developing airport. It still hosts few intercontinental flights, but can easily be reached via a European hub (Paris, London, Frankfurt...). Air France serves most airports in France and major European airports. EasyJet serves a number of destinations in Europe, including London, Berlin, Rome, Edinburgh and Madrid, along with a few domestic destinations which are not easily reached by train (Bordeaux, Toulouse, Nice). Most other major European airlines also operate flights between Lyon and their respective hubs.

Lyon is linked by TGV (fast trains) to Paris (two hours) and Marseille (1 hr 36 min). Many other domestic destinations are served directly, and there are several direct services to Brussels every day (4 hr). TGVs to and from Paris serve both Perrache and Part-Dieu stations; other TGVs generally serve only Part-Dieu.

International bus services are operated by Eurolines to and from Perrache station.