Lyon Sightseeing Planner: Free Sights and Passes
Lyon Sightseeing Planner: Free Sights and Passes
Most of what makes Lyon worth seeing costs nothing. The hills, the cathedral, the Roman theatres and the great squares are all free, so the real planning question is which paid museums deserve your money.
The free list
The Basilique Notre-Dame de Fourvière is free every day, with seasonal hours that run later in summer. See fourviere.org . Below it, the Roman theatres are free from 07:00 to 19:00 between 1 October and 30 April, and until 21:00 from 2 May to 30 September. The Cathédrale Saint-Jean-Baptiste in Vieux Lyon is free too. Its astronomical clock chimes at 12:00, 14:00, 15:00 and 16:00. Place Bellecour, Place des Terreaux and the Fresque des Lyonnais mural at quai Saint-Vincent need no ticket either.
Basilica or cathedral
Visitors often confuse the two. The cathedral is Saint-Jean, in Vieux Lyon, seat of the archbishop. Fourvière is the later hilltop basilica, finished in 1896.
The paid list
Lugdunum museum charges €4 normally and €7 when a temporary exhibition is on. The Musée des Beaux-Arts costs €8 for collections or €12 with exhibitions, and is closed on Tuesday. The Musée des Confluences is €12 or €7 reduced. The Institut Lumière museum is €9.50, or €7.50 reduced. Details are on museedesconfluences.fr .
Among Lyon’s museums, the Centre d’Histoire de la Résistance et de la Déportation at 14 avenue Berthelot is a memorial museum. It opens Wednesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 18:00, with a permanent exhibition at €6 full price and €4 reduced. See chrd.lyon.fr .
Passes and transport
The Lyon City Card costs €32, €44, €56 or €68 at the counter for 24, 48, 72 or 96 hours, and €29.90, €41.90, €52.90 or €63.90 online. It includes transit, a Saône cruise, one guided tour and many museum entries. If your list is mostly free sights, a TCL 24-hour pass at €7.10 is cheaper. A single ticket is €2.10 and a carnet of 10 is €20.50. Validate on boarding, since inspectors fine on the spot.
Arriving by air, the Rhônexpress takes about 30 minutes to Part-Dieu. Single fares are €16.30 online and €17.40 at the machine.
A good order
Climb Fourvière first, descend through Vieux Lyon, cross to the Presqu’île and finish at the Terreaux square. Save the Confluence district for another half day, reached by tram T1.
Care in crowds
Pickpockets work Part-Dieu, Place Bellecour and Vieux Lyon’s busiest lanes. Zip your bag and keep it in front. Avoid lingering around Place Gabriel Péri in La Guillotière after dark.
Guides
For commentary on the Roman and Renaissance layers, browse sightseeing tours on Viator and check what each includes.
For routes on foot, see the Lyon activities page and the 3-day Lyon itinerary .
Tip: if you only buy one ticket, make it the Confluences museum, and spend the rest of the budget on meals.