Emblematic districts of Lyon
Place Bellecour
The Place Bellecour is a 10-minute walk from the hotel and marks the centre of the peninsula.It is the largest square in Lyon and the largest pedestrian square in Europe.
From Place Bellecour you can easily walk to the old town of Lyon, or shop in the many commercial streets adjacent to the square.
To get there from the hotel, go through the antique shops district (rue Auguste Comte and rue de la Charité), a concentration of small ready-to-wear boutiques, famous Lyon decoration and design brands!
The old Lyon
Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Old Lyon district is a must-see during your stay in Lyon.Just a 10-minute walk from the hotel, you will soon find yourself wandering through its maze of cobbled streets, with the imposing Saint-Jean cathedral, souvenir shops, Lyon's bouchons and medieval / renaissance architecture.
Old Lyon is home to 4 museums: the museum of automatons of Old Lyon, the museum of miniatures and film sets, the Gadagne museum and the small museum of Guignol, Lyon's emblematic character.
The traboules of Old Lyon
A specific feature of Lyon, the traboules are secret passages through buildings that allow you to join parallel streets in complete discretion... There are several hundred of them in Lyon.We'll point you to the ones you shouldn't miss: the long traboule that connects 27 rue du Bœuf and 54 rue Saint-Jean, as well as the traboule at n°16 rue du Bœuf, which takes you into an inner courtyard where you can admire the Tour Rose and the door of the Crible house.
Basilica of Fourvière
The Basilica of Notre-Dame-de-Fourvière is the most visited monument in Lyon.This neo-Gothic religious building is accessible on foot for the more courageous or by funicular, which leaves less than 15 minutes' walk from the hotel, in old Lyon.
The virgin dominating the hill was created by the sculptor Joseph-Hugues Fabisch, who also created the bas-reliefs of Benedictine monks and statues that can be admired on the façade of the Hôtel de l'Abbaye.
From the esplanade, you can admire a magnificent panorama of the whole city, and even see Mont Blanc when the weather permits.
Once up there, take the opportunity to walk around the area, notably to the Parc des Hauteurs via the four winds footbridge or a little further down to the Gallo-Roman amphitheatres of Fourvière.
Place des Terreaux
The Place des Terreaux, located a 20-minute walk from the hotel, is considered by the locals to be the most beautiful square in Lyon.It was designed in 1994 by the artist Daniel Buren and the architect Christian Drevet and has 68 fountains!
You will first be captivated by its majestic fountain, the work of the sculptor Bartholdi, to whom we owe the Statue of Liberty in New York. Then the Town Hall, a magnificent building where Lyon's town hall is located. And finally, the Palais Saint-Pierre which houses the Lyon Fine Arts Museum.
Take the opportunity to have a look at the Opera of Lyon, located near the Place des Terreaux.
Confluence
South of Perrache train station, an 8-minute walk from the hotel, is the Confluence district.This is the area of Lyon that has been most changed over the last 10 years, with the aim of developing a new, more ecological urban area.
The spots not to be missed: the nautical bay, the docks, the sugar factory and the Confluences museum, from where you can enjoy a beautiful view of Lyon from the museum's terraces.
If you are interested in modern architecture, you can also, while walking in the district, admire the Ycone building by Jean Nouvel, the orange cube, the Pavillon 52, the Monolithe...
Finally, the Confluence district could be ideal for a family getaway with its circus and funfair at the Quai Perrache.
