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Boutique hotels in Lyon

Holidays in Lyon, France

Lyon Overview

France

Cityscape
Care-free traboules
City life
France’s gastronomic capital

Often described, even by the Parisians, as being like Paris but without the crowds, France’s second city, Lyon, is a chic metropolis but with a style and frenetic pace all of its own.

Built on the confluence of the Rhône and the Saône rivers, the city has been an important centre since Roman times, clustered around the ancient Vieux Lyon district and the baffling warren of traboules (alleyways), the former heart of the silk industry. Beyond the city limits lie the rich heartlands of French gastronomy and the winelands of Beaujolais, Burgundy and Côtes du Rhône, providing Lyon with some of the finest of fine dining. When it comes to food, Lyon is second to none.

Literally Lyon

La Croix-Rousse in Vieux Lyon was the centre of Lyon’s silk industry, criss-crossed by narrow traboules (alleyways) once used by the silk workers to transport their precious cargo down to the river barges. Lyon is still a good place to buy silk scarves.

Local knowledge

Taxis
It’s possible to pick up a cab from one of the many taxi ranks, or hail one in the street.

Tipping culture
Restaurant and café bills usually include a service charge (service compris) but it’s customary to leave a tip of a few euros. For taxi drivers, add ten per cent to the metered charge.

Siesta and Fiesta
Many restaurants close after 14h and reopen around 16h. Restaurants may also be closed on Mondays or Tuesdays so it’s best to check ahead. Small shops also break for lunch, even in the city centre, and most are closed on Sunday.

Packing tips
France’s second city is as chic and stylish as Paris; dress to impress.

Recommended reads
Bocuse’s Regional French Cooking by Paul Bocuse is a magisterial work by Lyon’s, if not France’s, foremost chef.

Cuisine
Lyon’s proximity to Burgundy and Beaujolais means the city is bursting with fine wines, haute cuisine and regional delicacies. Specialities include St-Marcellin cheese and saucisson sec (salami) as well as quenelles (fish or meat dumplings) and boudin noir (black pudding). All these and more can be found in the city's well stocked food markets (see shopping). Local Côtes du Rhône wines are also an excellent accompaniment.

Currency
Euro (€).

Time zone
GMT+1

Dialling codes
Country code for France: 33. Lyon: (0)4.

Do go/don't go
The crowds in Lyon never seem to be overwhelming, even in high summer when the temperature and humidity climb. Spring is pleasantly warm while autumn sees the surrounding countryside at its best and is the time for the grape harvest. Winter in the city is often cold and crisp.

Lyon Hotels

€ £ $

Our round-up of the hippest hideaways and romantic boutique hotels in Lyon


Château de Bagnols

Beaujolais, France

Style
Five-star aristocrat

Setting
Cultivated Beaujolais

Château de Bagnols, a luxury hotel near Lyon, is surrounded by the famous vineyards of Beaujolais and a whole firmament of Michelin-starred restaurants.

Doubles from:

(EUR 295)

Wine tasting at a local vineyard or, when the vendange intervenes, two bottles of Beaujolais red or white. Member offer


3 nights for the price of 2 4 nights for the price of 3 Special offers

Check availability


Getting there

Holidays in Lyon, France

Planes, trains, automobiles, or maybe even helicopter – we tell you the best way to go.

Planes
Lyon St-Exupéry airport has regular flights throughout the year from numerous destinations.
Trains
High-speed TGV trains connect Lyon to the rest of France, and other European countries. The station is outside the city centre but linked by an efficient tram network. London to Lyon takes four to six hours with Eurostar, via Lille or Paris.
Automobiles
A car is unnecessary in Lyon but essential if you want to get out to the vineyards and châteaux of Beaujolais and Burgundy.

Boutique hotels in Lyon

Holidays in Lyon, France

Lyon Activities

Highlights the best Lyon has to offer, from art and culture to fun-packed activities; we've even found the most inspiring place to enjoy the views from.

Worth getting out of bed for

Lyon itinerary
More…

Viewpoint
It’s sometimes possible to climb the north tower of the Basilica Notre-Dame de Fourvière for spectacular views over the city. Otherwise the esplanade next to the church is an equally good vantage point.

Arts and culture
Lyon has an excellent opera house on Place de la Comédie staging major productions (+33 8 26 30 53 25). The building is a striking mix of old and new with the original 18th-century building now possessing a sleek glass-roof extension designed by Jean Nouvel. The whole edifice is spectacularly lit at night. The Musée des Beaux-Art in the Palais Saint-Pierre is one of the finest in France containing a treasure trove of art, from ancient Greece to the works of Monet, Picasso and Gauguin.

Something for nothing
At nightfall 300 of the city’s landmarks and monuments are illuminated by thousands of projectors and spotlights, creating a magical setting for an evening stroll.

Shopping
The area between Place Bellecour and Cordeliers in the Carré d’Or district is filled with enough stylish boutiques to rival any Parisian boulevard; Rue Emile Zola, Rue Président Edouard Herriot and Place Kléber are the best places to head. There are also excellent open-air markets on Croix-Rousse hill and Quai St-Antoine, ideal for seeking out delicious local delicacies. You can pick up some superb wines at the English-speaking Antic Wines in Rue du Boeuf.

Daytripper
The countryside around Lyon has numerous beautiful châteaux. One of the finest in southern Burgundy is Château de Cormatin, between Tornus and Cluny surrounded by a moat and set in spectacular formal gardens (www.chateaudecormatin.com).

Activities
Lyon is a city dedicated to the fine French pastimes of eating, drinking and shopping. The Beaujolais region to the north of the city is ideal for wine tasting, horse riding and cycling (not necessarily in that order). The Ecole Beaujolaise des Vins in Villefranche (+33 474 022 218) offers wine-tasting courses and tours (www.beaujolais.com).

Diary

July Lyon’s Roman amphitheatre hosts Les Nuits de Fourvière, a festival dedicated to the performing arts. Third Wednesday of November The new Beaujolais wine is unveiled with great ceremony in the town of Beaujeu to the north of Lyon. December The Festival of Light is held in the run up to New Year, when windows are lit with candles and the city landmarks are illuminated.

Boutique hotels in Lyon

Lyon eating, drinking and dancing

Lyon
Eating, drinking and dancing

We've tracked down the best cafés for people-watching, the bars with the coolest cocktails, the most accomplished restaurants and the liveliest local nightlife in Lyon.

Restaurants

(+33 (0)478 37 67 35)

Le Mercière

This authentic bistro on Rue Mercière has a regional menu.

(+33 (0)478 28 26 00)

Café des Federation

This restaurant on Rue du Major Martin is an excellent traditional choice.

(+33 (0)478 42 50 05)

Grand Café des Négociants

This stylish café on Place Francisque Regaud has fine food in plush gilt-and-mirror surroundings.

(+33 (0)472 10 11 12)

Léon de Lyon

A respected temple of haute cuisine for over a century, this restaurant on Rue Pleney is an evening treat. Its bistro is ideal for lunch, too.

(+33 (0)478 42 15 00)

Nicolas le Bec

Minimalist and Asian-inspired, this restaurant on Rue Grolée is new-wave French cooking with all the attendant foams and froths.

(+33 (0) 472 42 90 90)

Bocuse, L’Auberge du Pont de Collonges

Spoil yourselves with fantastic Michelin-starred cuisine here on Quai de la Plage just north of Lyon.

(+33 (0)4 74 71 40 00)

Château de Bagnols

For real indulgence, reserve a table at at this spectacular château about 10 miles north of the city, where the food is every bit as impressive as the surroundings.


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