A holiday of discovery awaits just outside your cheap hotel in Lyon
A holiday of discovery awaits just outside your cheap hotel in Lyon
On the banks of the Saône
Famous for its traboules (or hidden passages between streets) and festival of lights, Lyon guarantees visitors an unforgettable holiday. It has a history dating back 2000 years and some of it is now a UNESCO World Heritage site. Here are some recommendations of unmissable sites from the team at your cheap hotel in Lyon.
On the banks of the Rhone
Start your visit in the Fourvière district at the summit of the hill of the same name. It’s an important spiritual centre: the people of Lyon used to form processions here to ask for protection against epidemic. Notre-Dame basilica was constructed between 1872 and 1896 where a 12th-century chapel once stood. While you’re there, you’ll also see an ancient theatre and the remains of Roman baths. From the top of the hill, you’ll get a spectacular view over old Renaissance Lyon. Throughout the streets and squares, you’ll see secular monuments such as the Maison Henri IV, the Maison Thomassin and the Loge du Change.
Cross the Saône River to get to Lyon’s presqu'île (or ‘peninsula’) and its famously sloping Croix-Rousse district. The district was transformed in the 19th century with the arrival of silk workers (known as canuts in French). Croix-Rousse’s architecture has been shaped by this industrial past. You’ll spot tall buildings with multiple windows which once housed formidable weaving machines. You can reach the Croix-Rousse plateau via various flights of steps, which also contributes to its village atmosphere. Further south, the former port and industrial district of Confluence has seen remarkable changes. Its renewal is visible in its modern constructions such as Le Cube Orange. The Parc de la Tête d'Or is close by your cheap hotel in Lyon. This 105ha oasis of greenery has a lake, zoo and botanical garden.
