We’re not called Lyon Secret for nothing! Our team loves to spend time finding you all the little nuggets to visit and discover in and around Lyon. And after revealing Lyon’s most secret spot and France’s favorite village (1h30 from Lyon), we’re now ready to reveal the most unsuspected places around our beautiful city! Fasten your seatbelts, you’re in for a surprise!
1. Ambérieu’s blue lake
Have you seen this water? You’d think we were in the Caribbean, but here we are in Ambérieu-en-Bugey! Just 25 minutes by train from the Part-Dieu station, Lac Bleu is an ideal nature getaway. Nestled in a lush green valley, this lake with its azure-blue (or emerald-green, depending on the light) reflections is astonishingly beautiful. The peaceful, unspoilt site invites you to relax along a bucolic path or take a picnic break in the shade of the trees. To the delight of the adventurous, medieval remains add a historical dimension to the walk! Easy access from Lyon makes it the perfect destination for a relaxing day out! Please note that swimming is prohibited to protect the natural balance of the site.
2. The Luizet waterfall
When you arrive at this waterfall, it’s almost like being in Canada! Located in Bénonces (in the Ain department, 1 hour’s drive from Lyon), the Cascade de Luizet is one of the largest waterfalls to be seen around Lyon! At 110 metres in height, it forces you to look up to the sky! That’s how impressive and majestic it is! In spring and autumn, it’s nothing short of spectacular.
3. Ermitage du Mont-Cindre garden
The Ermitage du Mont-Cindre garden is a hidden gem in the heights of Saint-Cyr-au-Mont-d’Or. Just a stone’s throw from Lyon, it rises to an altitude of 469 meters and offers exceptional views of Lyon, its rivers, the Alps and Mont Blanc. It’s one of those places around Lyon you just can’t miss, where you love to watch the sun set.
4. Villa bubble Terre de Lune
Just a few minutes from Lyon, between Lissieu and Limonest, the clean, symmetrical lines of the usual villas seem to have vanished: here, everything is round, from floor to ceiling! The Terre de Lune bubble town, as it’s called, seems to have sprung from nowhere, yet its shapes are perfectly in tune with the landscape. One of the most beautiful places around Lyon!
5. The Tourette convent
The Sainte-Marie de La Tourette convent, located in the commune of Éveux, 30 km northwest of Lyon, was built in the second half of the 1950s. Made entirely of concrete, it is one of architect Le Corbusier‘s most significant works, and well worth a visit!