Culture Archives - Lyon Secret

Culture Escapes Things to do

Just 20 minutes from Lyon by train, this city boasts no fewer than 40 listed historic monuments and the second-largest market in France

Between the “Land of Golden Stones” with its hints of Tuscany, the ancient theater of Autun —which rivals Rome’s in size—and Lake Bourget, comparable to Lake Como, there’s no need to cross the Alps to exp...

Culture Things to do

Without them, Old Lyon would have been razed—the incredible story of the couple who saved this treasure, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site

Lyon has had its share of heroes—and has seen manycome and go.Some have risen to prominence, others have passed away, but they’ve always been fighting or helping others.From Antoine de Saint-Exupéry toCla...

Culture Escapes Things to do

Just 1 hour and 30 minutes from Lyon, this 13th-century castle—designated a historic monument—houses a fascinating collection of 13,000 unusual objects

You could compare this place to a giant Kinder Surprise, where once you’ve devoured the outer shell, you’re left with a surprise that never fails to impress. Except that here, the “chocolate” is made of 1...

Culture Things to do

In September, an exhibition on Alphonse Mucha will take place in one of Lyon’s most iconic buildings, the Grand-Hôtel-Dieu—tickets are now on sale!

Painter, set designer, graphic designer, interior architect, and even art teacher… Alphonse Mucha’s life mirrors his work: rich, extraordinary, and daring. This is precisely what this new exhibition aims...

Culture Things to do

This September in Lyon, an exhibition on Robert Doisneau will bring together more than 400 original photographs—it is the largest retrospective dedicated to the photographer in over 20 years

As we celebrate the bicentennial of photography this year, Lyon is hosting one of its greatest practitioners with great fanfare. Organized under the auspices of the Atelier Robert Doisneau, founded by his...

Culture

The Best Exhibitions to See in Lyon

Just like every year, exhibitions and museums will be our best friends. A refuge from the cold and bad weather in winter or from the summer heat, “shutting yourself away” in a museum is like watching a g...

Culture Escapes Things to do

Just 50 minutes from Lyon, this village, designated a “cité de caractère” (town of character), is home to a thousand-year-old abbey—its church, featuring Romanesque frescoes unique in France, was in fact among the first buildings to be listed as historic monuments as early as 1840.

With this heat, it’s important to stay hydrated. But let’s not forget to quench our thirst in another way as well. For while drinking water is essential, so too is immersing ourselves in our local heritag...

Culture Secret Guides

A 12th-century structure, the city’s first hospital, a masterful work reimagined by Soufflot, a colossus 400 meters long… a look back at the extraordinary history (and proportions) of Lyon’s Hôtel-Dieu

If you invite friends from outside Lyon for a weekend in the capital of Gaul, the reaction is often the same: “Oh my, it’s huge!” And indeed, it is. It’s one of the giants of Lyon’s skyline, just like Pla...

Culture Escapes Things to do

Just 2.5 hours from Lyon, this “Most Beautiful Village in France”—with a population of 150—is a true treasure of our cultural heritage. Its castle, perched on a volcanic peak, looks as if it were straight out of The Lord of the Rings

Nestled deep in a remote valley, this village offers a cinematic setting straight out of *The Lord of the Rings*. Imagine: a rocky outcrop about a hundred meters high, surrounded by a river, where you’ll...

Culture Music Things to do

Designed first by Soufflot and then by Jean Nouvel, with a total of 18 stories—including 5 underground levels—and named “the world’s best opera house” in 2017… a look back at the Lyon Opera House, one of the city’s most iconic buildings

Its architecture reflects the city of Lyon itself: a bridge between the past and the present. If Lyon is recognized by UNESCO as having Outstanding Universal Value, it is above all for its architecture—a...