Lyon is the capital of freemasonry and esotericism, a city with an ideal model of night lighting, which has already been adopted by Marrakesh, Havana and St. Petersburg. This commercial, industrial and economic center of the country has been flourishing for more than 500 years, because Lyon and its 2 million inhabitants is considered the second largest agglomeration in the country. See Citypopulationreview for weather information.
Lyon is a city of outstanding art museums, a vibrant cultural scene, a fun club and alcohol scene, not to mention a thriving university and fantastic shopping. Green parks, charming promenades and the historic center of the city are the jewels of Lyon, which have taken their rightful place in the UNESCO list. Finally, even adventurous gourmets will find themselves in Lyon, who will be able to embody all their wildest gastronomic fantasies in the restaurant life of the city – luxurious, spicy and avant-garde.
How to get there
Lyon International Airport, located 25 km east of the center, receives flights from major cities in Europe, including from Russia. Aeroflot Airlines operates a Moscow-Lyon flight 4 times a week. From St. Petersburg or other major cities, the easiest way is to fly to Paris, and then transfer to a domestic flight or train to Lyon.
The city has two main stations: Gare de la Part-Dieu (or simply Part-Dieu), 1.5 km east of the Rhone, which receives long-haul trains; and Gare de Perrache (or Perrache), where both local trains and long-distance trains stop at the same frequency. A small number of trains stop at Gare St-Paul station in the old center of Lyon. Tickets can be bought at all three stations and in the city center, at the SNCF Boutique office (2 place Bellecour, 2e; 9:00-18:45 – Monday-Friday, 10:00-18:30 – Saturday).
You can get by train to Lyon by high-speed train TGV from the Gare de Lyon of Paris (50-85 EUR; travel time – 2 hours, departure every 30-60 minutes), from Lille (105-120 EUR, travel time – 3 hours 15 minutes), Nantes (90-150 EUR, 4 hours 15 minutes), Beaune (23-35 EUR, 2 hours 15 minutes), Dijon (27-45 EUR, 2 hours 45 minutes) and Strasbourg (85-95 EUR, 5 hours 15 minutes).
There is also a large bus station in the city that receives bus services from Eurolines, Intercars and Linebus (mostly from Spain) from all over France.
How to navigate
The old city, the historical part of Lyon, is located along the banks of the Saone.
Presquile is a peninsula in the center of the city, at the confluence of the rivers Rhone and Saone. Here are the city hall, Place Bellecour, streets with boutiques, many restaurants and bars, the Opera, the Teatro Celestin, museums, as well as Place des Terreaux with a fountain by the sculptor Bartholdi.
The street and quarter of Saint-Jean (rue Saint-Jean) near the Place du Change (place du Change, “Change Square”) is one of the most visited places in Lyon. The name of the street is given in honor of John the Baptist, it ends in front of the Cathedral of St. John.
Government Square (Place du gouvernement) is one of the most beautiful in Lyon. It is surrounded by old four-story houses, the central position is near the government building. The square is rectangular in shape, paved with cobblestones, and a charming tree grows in the center.
Rue Mercier, which is also located in the center of Lyon, is divided into two distinctly different parts. The south is a pedestrian area that attracts travelers with numerous restaurants, bars and Renaissance houses.
Transportation
Public transport in Lyon consists of buses, trams, four metro lines, two TCL funiculars connecting Old Lyon and Mount Fourviere (Fourviere) and St-Just. Transport Hours: Approximately 5:00 am to midnight.
A ticket costs 1.8 / 16.2 EUR for one / ten trips, it can be purchased from bus and tram drivers, as well as from vending machines in the metro. Tickets for unlimited travel for 2 hours/1 day cost 3/ 5.50 EUR. The Liberte Soiree ticket (3 EUR) allows you to travel without restrictions for one evening, starting at 19:00. Composting tickets is a must.
The taxi rank can be found at the city’s railway stations, in Place Bellecour, at the end of rue de la Barre, at the northern end of rue du President Edouard Herriot. Or call Allo Taxi (04-78-28-23-23) or Taxis Lyonnais (04-78-26-81-81).
The Fourviere metal tower is another highlight of Lyon. With a height of 85.9 m and a weight of 210 tons, this building is an exact copy of the third floor of the Eiffel Tower.
Around Lyon on bicycles
Lyon is a bike-friendly city. A special rental scheme has been developed here that allows you to take a red and silver two-wheeled friend at one of the 200 velo’v parking lots, ride and then return back to one of the same 200 parking lots (and it doesn’t have to be the same bike parking lot). The first 30 minutes of rental are free, then 1-5 EUR per hour with a special carte courte duree (costs 1 EUR and is valid for 7 days) and 50 cents per hour with a carte longue duree card (5 EUR per year). You can buy cards with a credit card at the machines that are installed right there at the bike stands: in the center on blvd de la Croix Rousse, 4e; in front of the Opera House (1er; metro Hotel de Ville); and opposite St. John’s Cathedral (Vieux Lyon metro station).
