Worth getting out of bed for...

Viewpoint

Look out across ‘la Terrasse’ on the climb to the Col du Fût d’Avenas for spectacular views over Beaujolais and, on a clear day, Mont Blanc. Beaujolais Vert’s conifer-sprinkled hillsides have earned it the moniker Little Switzerland. Drive on to Juliénas for rewarding valley vistas. In the heart of the Pouilly-Fuissé vineyards, the Rock of Solutré overlooks the entire Bresse region; President Mitterrand used to climb this limestone escarpment once a year.

Arts and culture

Cultured Lyon will keep arts buffs bamboozled with its bounty: the striking opera house on Place de la Comédie (www.opera-lyon.com) offers artistic excellence inside and out; and the masterpiece-packed Musée des Beaux-Arts (www.mba-lyon.fr) is Lyon’s answer to the Louvre. Aspiring designers will love the Musées des Tissus et des Arts Décoratifs (www.musee-des-tissus), where displays include everything from ancient Egyptian tunics to Zaha Hadid silverware, via Marie-Antoinette’s bedroom wall hangings.

Something for nothing

The cellars of Francisque Rivière in Bagnols are free to visit. At nightfall, 300 of Lyon’s landmarks and monuments are illuminated by thousands of lights, creating a magical setting for an evening stroll. For countryside lovers, there’s excellent cycling through peaceful villages between Cluny monastery and Juliénas. There are a few hills, but also some wonderful views.

Shopping

There’s a daily food market on Place aux Herbes in Mâcon (except Mondays), and on Saturday morning at Quai Lamartine. There’s also a huge covered market in Villefranche on Sundays. Open-air markets on Croix-Rousse hill and Quai St-Antoine in Lyon are where you’ll pick up local specialities like Saint-Marcellin cheese ad boudin noir (black pudding). Historic master pâtissier Pignol (04 78 37 39 61) on Rue Emile Zola sells delicate confections. The city rivals Paris for chic designer boutiques, particularly between Place Bellecour and Cordeliers in the Carré d’Or district; Lyon's famous silk scarves are a top buy.

Daytripper

If towers and moats light your fire, you’ve come to the right place: the region is famous for its beautiful castles. The formal gardens of 17th-century Château de La Chaize (www.chateaudelachaize.com) in Brouilly – also a renowned wine estate – are breathtaking; Château de Cormatin (www.chateaudecormatin.com), between Tournus and Cluny, contains opulent rooms; and the mediaeval villages of Jarnoiux and Oingt are presided over by turreted wonders. Alternatively, The picturesque lakeside city of Annecy, 80 minutes’ drive from Lyon, has a long history and an Alpine flavour: pretty canals, cowbells and bright red geraniums complete the picture. Browse the Wednesday morning market, then take to the clean, clear waters for a spot of waterskiing, windsurfing or wakeboarding.

Perfect picnic

Pack yourself du pain, du vin, some hunks of cheese and a saucisson sec (preferably gathered at an open-air market in one of Beaujolais’ prettier villages), and head for the hills or the banks of the river Saône.

Walks

Lyon is a great place for pottering. Bring flat shoes for the cobbled streets of Vieux Lyon, then explore the labyrinthine traboules – the underground passages originally used by 18th-century silk-makers to carry their delicate fabrics from Silk Hill down to the river barges. The Resistance also used them for sneaking about during World War II.

Activities

Snacking, sipping and snoozing are top of our to-do list, but there are plenty of ways to imbibe fresh French air: take a hot-air balloon flight (www.air-escargot.com), ramble vineyards and taste wines, and ride horses or bikes (not necessarily in that order). Hire two-wheeled or four-hooved transport locally; your hotel will have details. The Ecole Beaujolaise des Vins (www.beaujolais.com) in Villefranche offers wine-tasting courses and tours. Many local vineyards host cellar visits by arrangement; try Château de Vaurenard (www.chateaudevaurenard.com). Guided château tours are another possibility.

And

The Pierres Dorées area of southern Beaujolais is named after the golden stone that gives the region’s farmhouses and castles their distinctive charm.