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Where is the Presqu'île of Lyon located?The Lyon peninsula is located in the heart of the city and covers the area between the Rhône and the Saône. It includes the entire 2nd arrondissement of Lyon and part of the 1st, from Place des Terreaux to Confluence. If the south is more industrial, the north has kept all its authenticity. The presence of the City Hall makes this district the political h...
Where is the Presqu'île of Lyon located?
The Lyon peninsula is located in the heart of the city and covers the area between the Rhône and the Saône. It includes the entire 2nd arrondissement of Lyon and part of the 1st, from Place des Terreaux to Confluence. If the south is more industrial, the north has kept all its authenticity. The presence of the City Hall makes this district the political heart of Lyon. Shoppers will enjoy renting a holiday apartment in this part of Lyon. The proximity of the 2 rivers adds a charm to this chic and Haussmannian district, classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The must-see attractions of the peninsula
Start your getaway from Place des Terreaux. In the heart of this square is the Bartholdi Fountain, sculpted by the same architect as the one who erected the Statue of Liberty. You can admire it from one of the many restaurant terraces on the place. It is also on this place that Lyon's City Hall is located.
From Place de Terreaux, you can access the Arts Museum, presenting the works of the greatest painters such as Picasso, Van Gogh or Matisse. Access to the museum's inner courtyard is free and very pleasant. Nothing better than taking a break in the shade of the museum's flowering trees.
Still in this same area, is the Lyon National Opera House. Located on the Place de la Comédie, this building was renovated by the famous architect Jean Nouvel. The opera can be visited every Saturday at 1pm. The full programme and details of dance shows, concerts and opera performances are available online. A few alleys further south and less than 5 minutes from Place des Terreaux, discover the Gothic church of Saint-Nizier.
Strolling from Place des Terreaux, you will reach the Jacobins square and its magnificent fountain. Halfway between the City Hall and the Bellecour place, this place deserves a stop, especially at night because it is very well illuminated. Just next to this place is the Célestins theater, with its rich shows programme.
But what would a weekend on the Lyon peninsula be like without visiting the famous Bellecour place ? Elected the largest pedestrian place in Europe, this immense space is an unmissable attraction during your stay in Lyon. In winter, a ferris wheel and an ice rink are set up. It is from this point that the roller-skating tour starts every Friday at 8:30 pm. The Bellecour place is the starting and finishing point for participants in the Run in Lyon races (10KM, half and marathon). If you have any question about things to do during your stay in Lyon, stop at the Tourist Office. It's bordering the Bellecour place!
Three must-see museums can be visited on the Presqu'île of Lyon. The Museum of Fabrics and the Museum of Decorative Arts present collections of textiles from all over the world as well as antique furnishings. They can be visited with the same ticket as the Arts Museum we mentioned earlier.
At the junction between the Rhône and the Saône stands the Confluences Museum. This is a museum of natural history, anthropology and civilizations. It is very interesting to admire its atypical architecture from the outside. Take the opportunity to visit the Confluence district. This former industrial area has been redesigned to become a real eco-neighbourhood.
Every year, on December 8, inhabitants of Lyon place candlelight in their windows to celebrate this festival. The whole city is decorated with its most beautiful colours. The walls of buildings become open-air screens to better amaze children and adults alike. At the beginning of December and only for a few evenings, "light works" are installed. Many installations are set up along the Lyon peninsula. The entire programme and a map are available on the dedicated site of the Festival of Lights.
Where to shop on the Lyon peninsula?
The Presqu'île of Lyon offers many shopping possibilities: strolling through the streets of the Carré d’Or or shopping in a mall : it's up to you !
The Lyon Christmas market is held during one month from 24 November to 24 December (2018 edition). It is situated on the Carnot square. A website compiles all the practical information on the Christmas market in Lyon and the activities offered during this period. Open every day, from 10:30 to 20:00 from Sunday to Thursday and from 10:30 to 22:00 on Friday and Saturday, this place is a must to immerse yourself in the Christmas atmosphere. You can do some shopping there by strolling among the stands of a hundred exhibitors. We recommend that you taste a mulled wine or a pancake while even meeting Santa Claus! Many activities are available for children.
The Confluence shopping centre is located not far from the Confluence Museum. After a morning of culture, treat yourself to an afternoon of shopping! Smaller than the Part Dieu mall, the Confluence shopping centre has nearly 75 shops, 27 restaurants and a large UGC cinema. You will find big brands like Apple, Adidas, Sephora, ZARA. A Carrefour supermarket open until 9pm allows you to do your food shopping. For the wellness side, several hairdressers, a beauty bar for your manicures and even a spa offering body and face treatments are at your disposal!
Shoppers will enjoy the Carré d'Or, between Bellecour and Les Cordeliers. A wide range of luxury brands and designers share the shopping streets. Lyon's main shopping street is the Republic one. To the south of Place Bellecour is the antique district around Rue Auguste Comte. To make sure you don't miss any of the best addresses, go to the My Presqu'île website! This site gathers all the practical information of the different shops in the Carré d'Or by classifying them.
Where to eat on the Lyon peninsula?
And why not opt for home delivery? Many organizations such as Deliveroo or Foodora offer you the opportunity to deliver dishes in no time. However, we sincerely recommend that you take advantage of your stay in Lyon, which is the capital of gastronomy, to discover beautiful culinary addresses..
At the border between the peninsula of Lyon and the Croix Rousse, discover the hopstore! You can have a nice burger and a beer. 80 references of beer ar from around the world are available (including 24 under pressure). In summer, remember to come early if you want to enjoy the terrace.
"En cuisine" is a culinary bookstore located in 1 place Bellecour! You can also take cooking lessons and of course eat! The chief strictly applies Lavoisier's saying "nothing is lost, everything is transformed"! In the kitchen, the waste of vegetables is transformed into compost. From Monday to Saturday, the lunch formula is less than 20€ for a starter, main course and dessert.
"Ma petite factory", located at 17 rue neuve, is a 100% gluten-free lactose-free restaurant. The food offered is seasonal and creative. On site or to take away, my little factoy is open from Monday to Saturday. It is not possible to book so come early because the address is well known! There is a jumble: 100% vegetable buddha bowl, salads, soups and delicious desserts (cookie, cheesecake, carrotcake, etc.)
To offer you the best bobun of the Lyon peninsula, join Mamasan on rue Ferrandière. Both decoration and atmosphere are warm. The menu is short and the food is flavoured and tasty. For Vietnamese cuisine lovers, this is certainly where you should book.
"Les Cafetiers", at 36 rue Ferrandière, define themselves as a coffee shop. It is possible to enjoy a good coffee, or eat. But what we prefer is to have a brunch on Sunday. Several packages are available for less than 30€.
"Lyon's GastroPub", at 7 rue neuve, is a contemporary pub restaurant. During the week you can have lunch or dinner there at very affordable prices. For about thirty euros, it is possible to have brunch on Saturday and Sunday from 12pm to 3pm. They propose a delicious sweet and savoury buffet formula.
Another great place to have lunch is "le Dilpoid", rue de la platière. Every Sunday, you can enjoy a brunch formula for less than 25€. It includes a salty plate, a sweet plate, a fruit juice and unlimited hot drinks. Two courses are organized on Sunday at 11am and 1:30pm, A warm atmosphere emanates from this café. Enjoy a lunch with a savoury pie, have a drink or a pastry in this lovely café. On Saturday and Sunday a brunch is available for 25€. It's delicious and the service is fast.
"Rambler 2.0", at 7 rue Pizay Lyon 1, is a festive bar offering a fine selection of cocktails. It is also possible to order a plate of sausage or cheese or bruschetta. From Tuesday to Thursday, the cocktail bar organizes afterworks with DJ.
We appreciate "le Mumbai Café", rue Sainte-Catherine in Lyon, for its original cocktails menu. The bartender mixes with dexterity and audacity spices, fruits, syrups, alcohols to offer cocktails with delicate and surprising flavours. You can accompany your cocktail with a board of salted doughnuts, homemade naan, curry meat, fish, etc.
You will enjoy a drink on the rooftop of the bar called "le Sucre". This trendy bar is located in the Confluence district, at the south of the peninsula of Lyon. We're pretty sure that your sunset photo will collect many likes on Instagram!
A last address that we highly recommended for a drink is "les Muses", located at the 1 Place de la Comédie. It is the rooftop of the Lyon Opera House. Open from Wednesday to Saturday, this bar offers draught beer, wine and a few salty snacks. The view and the frame are incredible.
Moving around on the Lyon peninsula
You will have no difficulty in getting around during your city-trip on the Presqu'île Lyon. Indeed, metro, bus and tramway lines run through the peninsula. The presence of the Perrache train station in the centre of the peninsula accentuates the quality of public transport service in this district of Lyon.
The whole peninsula of Lyon is equipped with bicycle stations. To the south, in the Confluence district, you will find many stations along the Cours Charlemagne. Stations are also located near Place Carnot, Place des Célestin, Place Bellecour and the garden of the Palais de Saint Pierre.
The Lyon peninsula is crossed from north to south by metro line A (pink line). Its terminus is Perrache train station. This line also connects Ampère, Bellecour, Cordeliers and City Hall stops.
Finally, in Bellecour, you can also take line D (green) to reach the northwest and southeast of Lyon.
The Presqu'île of Lyon is crossed from south to north by the T1 tramway line. This line starts from the 7th arrondissement of Lyon, crosses the peninsula and joins the 3rd arrondissement.
Finally, we strongly recommend that you test the Vaporetto ! This river shuttle operates from mid-March to the end of December, from 9:30 am to 9:30 pm. The price is 4€ per trip/person. The shuttle serves 4 locations: Vaise (9 quai Arloing), Saint-Paul (16 quai de Bondy), Bellecour (11 quai des Célestins) and the Confluence mall. If the journey is a bit expensive for public transport, it will nevertheless allow you to discover Lyon from the Saône banks. This mode of transport combines the practicality of travelling without traffic jams with the pleasure of discovering the villa in a different way.
For those who appreciate the maritime transport modes, it is possible to take cruises on the Saône. You can even rent a boat in Lyon (with or without a licence), for one to four hours with Cap Confluent.
