Your guided tour of the courtyards and “„traboules” (passageways) of the Old City of Lyon

(duration 2 hours):

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1. Departure from the Place Saint-Jean , where you can spend some time in the cathedral in the heart of the Old City of Lyon. The astronomic church clock is one of the oldest in Europe (dating back at least from 1383) and indicating the exact time until 2019. The bells chime several times a day with a parade of different figures. The ENS Lyon (Ecole Normale Supérieure) created a special and detailed page about this clock. The cathedral is also called “primatiale” (an uncommon name): the archbishop of Lyon carries the historical title of ‘Primat des Gaules”. If you choose to stay in the youth hostel situated just above Saint-Jean, you will have the privilege of admiring the light upon this cathedral particularly at sunrise or at dawn. The square Saint-Jean that has finally become a vehicle-free area, and its water fountains offer interesting backdrops for your pictures. It is as well a real alternative to the statue of Louis XVI on square Bellecour, for rendezvous points.
2. This district tells the history of more than 1000 years ago. It nearly disappeared after the Second World War when one of the mayors of Lyon planned to install marinas on the banks of the river Saone. Quite fortunately, this plan was rejected on initiative of the local residents and the politician MALRAUX. The site has been included in the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites where visitors and tourists flow through every day….. just like you, we hope so, because it is really a beautiful district where you can still smell the breath of Lyon’s markets from the Middle Ages.
3. Then take the “rue des Antonins” (a small road in the north middle of the square) above the café de la Gargouille. A very nice bar with character and warm colours, beautiful photographs on the walls, a splendid sight on the square and the front of the “primatiale”.
4. You enter the number 3/5 of this road and the first passageway. Nothing very particular or of special beauty, but very alive: a cat sitting on the saddle of a bike, a bush growing between the paving. You arrive at “rue Saint-Jean”.

   

   The house of « Chamarier »,
   rue Saint Jean – DR Lyon visite info

5. The following stop is a sublime court, which has just been restored. It is in this house of Chamarier with a famous pastry shop at the street corner. (Mind the dangerous traffic). Spend some time in this yard and be taken a back of this beauty. Imagine yourselves back in 17th century with Madame de Sévigné strolling around in this yard.

   

   The house of Avocats, Old City of Lyon – DR Lyon visite
   info

6. Then walk up some metres to “rue de la Bombarde” and stop in front of the most photographed facade of Old Lyon and which is in the top ten of photos of Lyon. Why? Because photographers find focus here. So take advantage of  it! Due to the restoration, magnificent colours reflect on the House of lawyers! And because of this indescribable Italian feel, that is Florentine.
7. A bit more ahead, 14 “rue de la Bombarde”, next to Artisans du monde, a plate showing a bombard about to be fired. Please be very careful in this narrow street due of the dangerous car traffic.
8. Walk down again to get back to the “rue Saint Jean”. At N° 58, if you are lucky, the door of the court behind the Crêperie AU PETIT GLOUTON will be open. It may be a bit dark and small, but there is a pretty well just next to the room and the kitchen of the crêperie. We can better understand why the inhabitants of Fourvière left the hill to come down here after the destruction of the Roman aqueducts, which supplied the water. The battle for water already existed at this time! It seems that nowadays water is shifted between Languedoc
   and Andalusia.
9. Don’t miss n° 52, the medieval shop Mandragore situated at the dead end of the „traboule“. This shop sells all from the Middle Ages, gauntlets and coats of mail as well as all the garments of this era, velvet and long dresses. All on offer are very beautiful and original and make great gifts.
10. Now credit where credit’s due: n°54, one of the favourites of the organized tours of Old Lyon, the longest „traboule“ of all, to be added in the Guinness Book of record: It goes across four buildings and four courtyards.
11. You come out “rue du Boeuf” –the miracle of the „traboule“. Turn to the right, pass in front of craft and art shops, the four star hotel La Tour Rose where Molière performed. You now arrive at the “Place Neuve Saint-Jean”, filled with terraces of restaurants. At the corner of the square and the “rue du Boeuf” you can see the wooden statue of an ox on the wall. You will notice the same at “Place de la Baleine”.
12. Continue to n°16 “ rue du Bœuf “. You will find a very nice court with a sumptuous pink tower and its impressive cylindrical form. Admire the beautiful doors and don’t forget to have a look at the adjoining hat shop next to the entrance.
13. Return to the “Place Neuve Saint-Jean”. In the middle of it, there is a remarkable open court with visible staircases. It has a touch of Hitchcock’s “Rear Windows”; in the angle, the bakery of the “Palace”. There is often a long queue outside – and for good reasons. Here, you can taste one of the specialities of Lyon: brioches pralinées. Tourists like to take pictures of the bakery and the pharmacy, which is a little further in this street.
14. The huge building at the corner in front of the bakery on your way back is the ancient palace of justice. The residents of Lyon surnamed it “the 24 columns” because of its Corinthian columns in the front. The Court of appeal and the Criminal Court of the Rhône Department still conduct meetings here. The palace has its own prison for lengthy court cases. Charles MAURRAS was judged here in 1945 and Klaus BARBIE in 1987. In the previous palace, hundreds of people were condemned during the French revolution and guillotined at the
    “Place des Terreaux”.
15. Continue the “Rue Saint-Jean” northward, in the lessening direction of the numbers of the street. At 27 “rue Saint-Jean”, a new „traboule“ entrance.
16. You come out at n°6 “rue des Trois Maries” after passing two ochre courts and some Florentine galleries. A road formed like a boomerang with a very visible curve. It is one of the most typical ones of the Old Lyon. We would imagine in 16th century. You turn left in direction to “Place de la Baleine”: nice pavements.
17. In the corner of the “Place de la Baleine” and the “rue de la Baleine” you find the above mentioned sculptured panel representing a whale. The summer it may be pleasant to have a drink in one of the refreshing terraces. The winter, there are often fire-eaters. We can imagine ourselves in the Middle Ages, during one of the big annual fairs, bringing to Lyon a new economic expansion, which was confirmed in the Renaissance period by the installation of Florentine bankers, who arrived with Catherine de Médicis. It was they, who constructed many of the nice hotels, which are still in existence today.
18. Now we continue to the « rue Saint-Jean » till the « Place du Gouvernement ».
19. At n°2 of this square, you reach another „traboule“, which starts with a beautiful staircase and leads to a court. It is situated just above a site formerly the stables of Saint Christophe’s hotel. A beautiful building, which perhaps looks excessive after the recent renovation. Just as well we have to imagine it as it was when it was built in the 15th century. You would come to n°10 “Quai Romain Rolland”, if you continued the „traboule“. Instead we will go back and continue the “Rue Saint-Jean” in the same direction.

    

    The house Thomassin,
    Place du Change, Old City of Lyon – DR Lyon visite info

20. You are now “Place du Change”. Here people traded their money before travelling out of the kingdom of France. Nowadays the “Palais du Change” has become a church. Admire the front of the house Thomassin. In this yard, live shows take place frequently. It is one of the main entrance points to Saint-Jean.
21. Go up the “rue de la Loge” on the right of the “Palais du Change” and turn at the top into the ”rue de la Juiverie”. Before entering the street, you can climb the first treads of the stoop “Carmes Déchaussées” (shoeless carmelites) to discover the renaissance stairway of the house Henri IV.
22. Almost all the facades of the “rue de la Juiverie” have interesting things to reveal: mullioned windows, true or artificial gargoyles added by the inhabitants; several workshops of theatre companies; a restorer of clocks in n°20, the watchmaker of Saint-Paul, just like Bertrand Tavernier’s film, which was shot right in this district; a beautiful sculpture studio in n°15.
23. Finally, at n° 8 we have an absolute must-see: the art galleries Philibert Delorme. A board in the court will explain to you in detail about this construction by an architect who came back from Italy. A true marvel of airiness and symbolism. Looking at it, you get the impression that this construction, which connects two buildings, represents the union of two lovers. Congratulations, Mr. Delorme!
24. We now arrive at “Place Saint-Paul”, which is the centre of this district, and part of the Old City of Lyon just as “Saint-Georges” and “Saint-Jean”. We continue our visit until the Church Saint-Paul, restoration is apparent inside and out. Just beside the church is “Place Gerson”, a calm and quiet place, away from the touristic pandemonium of “Place Saint-Jean”. There is a typical cabaret and variety theatre just like those, which had been created on the uphills of Croix-Rousse in the 70s.
25. You can choose to walk back to the cathedral, to make new discoveries, or you may start the tour visit to the painted walls by taking to the pedestrian bridge Saint-Vincent which leads you to the painted wall with famous personalities from Lyon. This tour will bring you back to “Place du Change”, next to the wall of the “Cour des Loges”. Please click here for the guided tour to the painted walls: http://www.lyon-visite.info/murs-peints/

Enjoy-yourself!

Gilles for Lyon-visite.info

Monika for the translation

Guided tour (duration: 2 hours)

1. Departure from: Place des Terreaux
   • The confluence of the two rivers Rhône and Saône in the Roman Age was formerly in this location. The city of Lyon was located on the other side of the Saône, where you can actually see the Old City of Lyon and here at the Place des Terreaux existed a village named Condate.
   • Admire the Bartholdi Fountain, which originally had been ordered by the town of Bordeaux from the sculptor of the statue of liberty in New York. Finally, it ended in Lyon in front of the town hall. Michel Noir (former mayor of the town in the 90’s) had it moved to the middle of the square, right in front of the art museum, like an answer to the fountain in the courtyard of the art museum, which you can see when the door is open.
   • You will see this courtyard of the art museum at the end of this visit, when you can rest and enjoy the silence of this place in the heart of Lyon.

Agrandir le plan

2. Direct yourself to the rue Sainte-Marie des Terreaux next to the pharmacy along the Doner Khebabs, very typical of this district. Cross the rue Sainte-Catherine, the road of night bars.
3. Now you go up the stairs to a small square. You will arrive in front of one of the stairways, very typical of the Croix-Rousse and the „Traboule”. Don’t cross the square, instead turn immediately to your right.
4. You will come to a courtyard, one of the few which had been renovated and which looks like an Italian courtyard due to its shady trees. At certain times of the day, you will experience beautiful sunrays here. You then exit the courtyard on the opposite side and arrive at Rue des Capucins where you turn left. Go straight to the traffic lights, cross the road and continue through Rue Sergent Blandan till you get to the square Place Sathonay.
   

   One of the two lions at Place Sathonay (the ducks are extras)

5. One of the two lions at Place Sathonay (the ducks are extras)
6. Place Sathonay is one of the most beautiful places in Lyon, just like  the Place Colbert and the Place des Célestins,  which is in a different style. During the whole year, especially in a summer, this place is very vibrant. It extends to the big stairwell, which leads to the Jardin des Plantes and the roman amphitheatre Les Trois Gaules. In the middle of the square you will see a statue of the Sergent Blandan, killed in Algeria during the colonial wars and you can read on the feet of the statue what he said to his companions as a testimony for his braveness. At the end of the square, on the left of the stairway, you can see the mayor’s office of the first district of Lyon. Formerly plants were brought up here and then transferred to the Jardin des Plantes, before they could strike roots in the park Tête d’Or which had been devastated by two consecutive storms. At the bottom of the stairways, you can see two lions, which were founded in the town of Le Creusot,  spewing two elegant jets of water. You can rest on the terrace of the Café de la Mairie and eventually observe some people refreshing themselves at these waterspouts.
7. Speaking of refreshment, at Place Sathonay you will probably find the best tasting ice cream of Lyon in the ice cream bar: Les Enfants Gâtés– to spoil the kids, it is recommended!
8. We are now leaving Place Sathonay and going to Rue Poivre next to the police station. At the end of this road there are stairs again, go up and arrive at Rue Terme. Do be very careful when you cross this road! You go to N°7 und push the doorknob. The entrance should open and you can enter the first „Traboule”.
9. Warning: very bad smell of urine… Look at the steps of the stair battered by the numerous passages of visitors; in the middle of the „Traboule”, behind a grid, you can see an open staircase, as there are in so many houses in Lyon. You exit Montée de la Grande Côte (ascension of the big hill).
10. This ascension was created during the last years and is splendid, especially when the sun lights up the different tones of ochre on the houses facade. Various businesses have settled down here: art and craft ware, alternative libraries, cosy bars. You will be in no doubt: you are on the hills of Croix-Rousse.
11. Walk down a few meters to N°95 and you find yourself in front of the house of the first French cooperative of workers. It was based on the socialist ideas of Charles Fourier. The aim was to mitigate against the extreme difficult conditions of life of the workers by supplying them food at cost prices. This cooperative, called “the true and social trade”, was very important at that time. A plate on the front of the house tells the names of the founders.
12. Let’s say a few words about life in this district, where most of the “canuts” (silk weavers) were established. Thousands of silk weavers worked in their master’s houses, who had installed the looms in their private rooms. The looms were also called “bistanclaque” which is an echoism of the loom’s noise. The apartments had very high ceilings because of the size of the looms. Nowadays these apartments are used for private use and include most of the time mezzanines. You can recognize the houses of the former rich habitants of this district by the monials at the windows.
13. Now take your time and walk up the Montée de la Grande Côte, enjoy the beautiful facades of the houses, especially in the sunshine.
14. You are now Rue Burdeau, a few meters left and you arrive at…
15. the amphitheatre Les Trois Gaules, where there is a wealth of information to digest:
    • You can find a lot of information on Wikipedia, especially about the religious and political context of this site, as well as the wild story of Blandine, who was executed here for her religious convictions.
    • There will be some subsequent changes in this area during the coming years: the ugly building above the amphitheatre, which is the art academy, will be torn down, important archaeological excavations will most certainly take place. There are also plans for a green aisle prolonging the Jardin des Plantes, where the plants were cultivated for later transfer to the Park Tête d’Or.
    • Each 1st August, the representatives of the 60 nations of the three Gallic empires met in this amphitheatre. They presented their grievances, which were passed on to Rome and Rome showed its authority, especially through the religious cult, which was devoted to it. Feasts, poetical competitions, sacrifices, all took place on this site.
16. Now you walk up the stairs on the right hand of the theatre. Under your feet you will notice the car tunnel which leads up to the Croix-Rousse. The actual city council had promised to install a system, which would transport bikes from the bottom of the hill to the top. But due to the economical crisis, it doesn’t seem probable.
17. You now walk along an elementary and nursery school. A pleasure to study there!
18. You arrive Rue des Tables Claudienne and turn to your right. Walk until Montée de la Grande Côte, which leads you to the top of the hill. Be mindful, there are several streets to cross. Enjoy the nice facades and art shops.
19. After the arduous stairs through the gardens of the hill, you will come to one of the most beautiful lookouts of Lyon. This square, which is nameless, is the cross point of the Rue des Pierres Plantées and the Rue du Bon Pasteur. You can rest here for a while and enjoy the view either from the railing above some beautiful wisteria, or from the terrace of the restaurant Montana, where you can sample some delicious tajines.  When the weather permits, you may catch good sights of the river Saône and the Old City of Lyon.
20. Now turn to the other side of the Croix-Rousse in direction of the river Rhône to catch a beautiful sight as well of the Park Tête d’Or. We are now going to start the second part of our tour.
21. Our next visiting point is the Gros Caillou (Huge Stone). To reach there, we have to walk up the Rue des Pierres Plantées to the plateau of the Croix-Rousse. The square, the boulevard, the underground stop, all have the same name “..”de la Croix-Rousse. On your left hand side, although we are proceeding to the right, are the well-known daily market, the Café “Le Chantecler” and the mayor’s office of the fourth district where the worker revolts of 1831 and 1834 are displayed on a plaque. However, we will go over it later.
22. As we said, we continue to the right to the new esplanade “Le Gros Caillou”, which was created on the occasion of the construction of a new underground parking (which proves, that it is possible to mix business with pleasure). So, what is the Gros Caillou all about? Well, it means what it says: A huge stone. The local guides like to explain its origins by glaciers. Actually, we do not have any precise information about it.  This big stone installed previously at the end of the boulevard and completely tagged with graffiti, has become an entire part of the esplanade after its restoration. There are nice cafés with terraces where you have a beautiful sight of the city of Lyon and a bit further to the Alps.
23. At the end of the esplanade, you go down the stairways, cross the Rue Mottet de Gérando and arrive at the square Place Bellevue.This is the second lookout of this tour. A large view on the river Rhône, the bridge Pont de Lattre just beyond the tunnel of Croix-Rousse; you will notice banks, some which are modernized and those who kept their original features and character; the sixth district; Villeurbanne and its high rises; more to the left, the park Tête d’Or and its island. Take some time to be captured by this sumptuous view.
24. We now get to the square Place Colbert, which is as adorable as the Place Sathonay. It is quite a feeling to sit down here in hot weather and enjoy a fresh drink! Underneath this square you will find…
25. the „Traboule” “des Voraces” which is the most representative of Croix-Rousse:
    • The „Traboule” “des Voraces” is an epicentre of the “canut”- culture, their revolts in the 19th cent., the architecture and the daily life of the youngsters (“les gones” – a typical expression from Lyon) during this time. Just imagine yourself during the time of silk manufactures: No tourists, but only workers and children, whose favourite game amongst others was to stroll down the stairs, which you see in front of you.
    • In this courtyard a society of silk workers held his secret meetings after the first revolt in 1831 and was surnamed the voracious (“les voraces”). The same name was given to this courtyard and the „Traboule”.
    • The revolts of the silk workers in 1831, 1834, 1848 and 1849 claimed hundreds of lives (in 1834 there were 600 dead) and had important repercussions. They are considered the trigger for the workers consciousness that they had to fight against their exploitation. History left traces in this district until today, numerous alternative organizations and businesses are located here.
26. You now go down the „Traboule”, keeping to your right hand, you cross the Rue Imbert Colomès and enter the „Traboule” just in front. We are now at Rue des Tables Claudienne. Turn to your right in direction to the Place Chardonnet and walk down until the Rue Pouteau. You then step down the stairways on the right side of the church.
27. Here, is Passage Thiaffait, a place where a new generation of fashion designers and stylists has settled down. It is also a favourite meeting point during the celebrations in the city (festival of lights, music festival etc.).
28. You now have two possibilities: you either go right and enter a „Traboule” at N°6 Rue René Leynaud, which will lead you to the Rue des Capucins, where you will turn left.
29. Or, turn left and go down the Rue Saint Polycarpe and move left again.
30. Keep going until Place Croix Paquet and walk into the Rue du Griffon, take your immediate left. You will arrive at Place du Griffon, where you can admire a staircase between two buildings. Now continue to the left backend of the square and join the road again. To your right handside you can see the Impasse de Thou, a dead end.
31. This dead end has recently been renovated. On the right hand side, you find a small gate, which can be opened.
32. Now you are in front of an extraordinary staircase: classic style, square cut and 22m high! A sight not to be missed.
33. Go up a few steps, then enter the „Traboule” to your left, which takes you to the Petite Rue des Feuillants. Continue on this road till you arrive at the square Place Tolozan next to the river Rhône. From there you go to the big square in front of the opera of Lyon, a favourite place for hip-hoppers. You will notice how amazing they are!
34. We complete our tour here, back at Place des Terreaux, where we started.

Now it is up to you to weave your own net of places of visit in this stronghold of silk manufacturers.

Enjoy yourself,

Gilles for Lyon-visite.info and Monika for translation.

Hereafter, in order to water your mouth, you will find some of the most beautiful illumination events of the festival in 2008 and the results of an opinion poll:

DR Spectaculaires Les Allumeurs d’images

The Place des Terreaux was the absolute highlight of the celebration, where you can take the pulse of every year’s success. The animation of this place will set the tone of the whole festival. Let’s remember the fantastic illumination realized in 2004 and 2005 when the complete facade of the museum was animated with pictures of bikes and puppets.

HOTEL-DIEU: The inner court was arranged as a typical French country inn (guingette) with a street organ, which played French melodies for dancing.

DR Bibi et Tagada

PLACE DES JACOBINS: A nice fountain with beautiful nymphs under a mobile (which, unfortunately, did not move) looked very poetic.

Aparté - Enluminures - DR Thierry Chenavaud

THEATRE DES CELESTINS: Like every year, the decoration in this site was very successful: A story about theatre history and passion through pictures of famous personalities projected on the façade- the magic of theatre and lights.

Let’s see what happened along the river Saone right now. For visitors one of Lyon’s magic points is the flow of the two rivers so close to one another. The banks of the river Saône offers one of the most beautiful sights of Lyon where perspectives are literally piled up: the river, the top of the cathedral, the hill, on its top basilica Fourvière, the catholic and its laic answer the “Eiffel Tower of Lyon”. Between both, every year, the archbishopric lights a message of tribute to the Virgin Mary. The place is very spectacular every year. Jean-Michel Jarre (born at Croix-Rousse and son of Maurice Jarre) performed successfully in concert on this site in 1989, during the visit of pope Jean-Paul II in Lyon.

The Cathedral Saint-Jean comes often out in all its beauty. Such as in 2008: The theme “Visit of the kings” showed the façade of the cathedral though in classical colours, but not less in an impressive beauty.

The visit of Kings - DR Warrener Art et Technique

PLACE DU CHANGE – A SWARM OF INSECTS: thick clouds of insects romp about on the square, on a true fake phone box and a fake advertising board in particular. We remember well this phone box transformed into an aquarium with living fishes on the other side of the Saône in 2007, one of the most attractive animations of the festival of lights 2007.

SAINT-NIZIER, another classic, not always made a success these last years and no more made a success in 2008. However, there is still hope for the coming festivals.

LA CROIX-ROUSSE: If you are not too tired, you may climb up the hills, where an alternative spirit resides (the first workers’ cooperatives based on the socialist ideas of Holy Simon and de Fourier, a French philosopher of the 19th century, came up here). There are always interesting things to see, the events are though more simple and integrated in the district. In 2008, windows were placed in the gardens of the hill.

The banks and the park “Tête d’Or” were favourite places for light events, because they emphasized the natural environment: the trees, the lake and the river as well as the stonewalls of the banks. This is an ideal location to have a quiet walk, away of the crowds of visitors at the peninsula (the centre of Lyon).

Subscribe here for the two guided tours: the first one, which is a try-out and will be available from beginning of November; the second one, which we edit the first day of the festival in order to optimize your visit of the festival of lights.

Let there be light!

Gilles for www.lyon-visite.info

Translation: Monika Abbey

Two guided tours for your ideal enjoyment of the celebration

The celebration of the lights occurred December 8th, 1852, when habitants of Lyon decided to come down the streets and put candle lights in their windows, after having been deprived twice of a holiday in honour of the Holy Virgin. Since, this celebration became more and more important. Initially a catholic feast, it has become a celebration of the entire city during four nights, when visitors from all around Europe come to join.

DR Bibi et Tagada

The festival is different every year when it takes place on the December 8ths: indeed, the themes of the light animation are completely renewed. The scenery are the most remarkable places of the city: the cathedral Saint Jean, Place des Jacobins, Place des Terreaux, the théâtre Célestin, the banks of the Rhône river, the huge Park de la Tête d’Or, the passageways (traboule), the hills of the district Croix-Rousse and finally Fourvière.

Thus, it is impossible to establish in advance the best tour for visits, contrary to what we propose for our other guided tours.

That is why we suggest to you two visits:

1. a visit as a try-out that we establish at the end of October referring on the press file in regards of what was done in the previous years and of the geographical particularities of Lyon. The purpose of this kind of approach is to avoid you to slave away with a stop and go traffic!
2. a final visit, which we will define on the first evening of the celebration, in order to make sure that you may visit the most interesting performances of the festival of lights, even if you are in Lyon for one single evening only.

I wish to receive the two programs of guided tours for the festival 2009 as soon as edited

Optimize your stay in Lyon by visiting the town with our guided tours through the Old City of Lyon and the “traboules “ (passageways).