Lyon Old Town Walking Tour in Traboules and Fourvière Funicular

What do Renaissance streets, secret passageways, a famous puppet and pink praline have in common? They’re all Lyon; and they’re all part of this walk. We’ll start in a peaceful square where Roman history still sits just beneath the surface, before stepping inside St. Jean Cathedral. From there, we’ll head into the traboules: hidden passageways, Renaissance courtyards and doors you could easily walk straight past without knowing what’s behind them. As you make your way through the old town, I’ll share the stories, quirks and surprising details that make Lyon come to life. We’ll follow the Saône, pass some of the city’s most photogenic corners, and stop at a few places that are easy to miss if no one shows you where to look. No trip to Lyon is complete without trying it's most beloved patry: pink praline brioche. We'll make a quick stop to try it. We’ll finish by taking the funicular up to Fourvière, where the basilica and sweeping views over the city make for a spectacular finale.

1. 1

   Passerelle du Palais-de-Justice

   15 min

   Twenty-four columns on the far bank. Behind them, the courtroom where France tried Klaus Barbie. We cross the footbridge with Old Lyon opening up ahead, the hill, the basilica, four hundred years of rooftops. Best view of where we're going, and the right place to explain how this city actually fits together.

2. 2

   Cathedrale Saint-Jean-Baptiste de Lyon

   30 min

   Saints missing their heads. A royal wedding. Treasures inside that shouldn't be there. The first church went up on this spot in the 4th century when Lyon was still Roman. What's standing now is eight hundred years old, and every century since has left something behind. We'll find them.

3. 3

   Traboules du Vieux Lyon

   30 min

   Lyon's thousand-year-old secret. These passageways have seen silk, revolts, and resistance. Ordinary doors on extraordinary streets. I'll take you through.

4. 4

   Maison Du Crible / Pink Tower Of Lyon

   20 min

   You could walk this street a hundred times and never know it was there. Behind the Maison du Crible sits a rose-coloured tower, six storeys of Renaissance staircase built when Lyon's silk money had nowhere left to go but up. Henri IV and Marie de Médicis stayed here after their wedding. We'll go in.

5. 5

   Notre Dame de Fourviere

   45 min

   Two hundred metres straight up, in ninety seconds. The funicular hauls you out of the old town and drops you at the top, where Lyon spreads out under you and the Alps sit on the horizon on a clear day. The basilica behind you is a Catholic victory monument dressed as a fairy tale. Every surface covered, nothing left plain, built by a city that had made a promise and meant to keep it. The best view in Lyon.

• Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
• Service animals allowed
• Public transportation options are available nearby
• Suitable for all physical fitness levels
• We will walk around 3km on Cobblestone streets. There are some stairs to walk up and down, so if you have mobility issues, this tour may not be ideal for you.

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.