Vieux Lyon, Lyon

Exquisite preservation of Vieux Lyon allows you to walk back in time to the 16th century. Narrow streets are flanked by solid rows of earth-toned buildings, flower-boxed windows, and balconies with wooden balastrades. Wander through meandering, roofed passages, called "traboules," on a hunt for the Gothic Cathedral of St. Jean. The Romanesque structure next to the cathedral is the Manecanterie, a museum showcasing the cathedral’s treasures. The Saint Jean quarter, where you'll find these historic buildings, was the epicenter of French political and religious power in the Middle Ages. Nowadays, it is the focal point of Lyon culture where the Museum of Miniatures and Film Sets displays its curiosities in a 15th-century architectural masterpiece. Add to that charming street performers and quaint cafes. Take a tour of the former commercial center of the city, settled by wealthy Italian bankers and silk merchants in the 15th and 16th centuries. Here, you’ll bask in the shadows of the luxurious hôtels particuliers, once the homes of influential tycoons. One of these, the Hôtel de Gadagne, is the residence of the Lyon History Museum and the International Puppet Museum. Before you head to Lyon, plan trip itinerary details with our user-friendly Lyon trip itinerary planning site, to make sure you see all that Lyon has to offer, including Vieux Lyon.