Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
This tradition has spawned an actual industry. Lyon is famous as a model of
state-of-the-art floodlighting, and the city hosts conventions on the topic. Each
night, more than 200 buildings, sites, and public spaces are gloriously floodlit. Go
for an after-dinner stroll and enjoy the view from the Bonaparte Bridge after dark.
Arriving at Perrache Station:
Thisstationiswithina20-minutewalkofPlaceBelle-
cour (no baggage storage). Follow green
Place Carnot
signs out of the station, then cross
Place Carnot and walk up pedestrian Rue Victor Hugo to reach the TI and most of my
recommended hotels. Or take the Métro (direction: Laurent Bonnevay) two stops to Belle-
cour and follow
Sortie Rue République
signs.
By Car:
The city center has good signage and is manageable to navigate, though
you'll hit traffic on the surrounding freeways. If autoroute A-6 is jammed (not unusual),
you'll be directed to bypass freeways (such as A-46). Either way, follow
Centre-Ville
and
Presqu'île
signs, and then follow
Office de Tourisme
and
Place Bellecour
signs. Park in
thelotsunderPlaceBellecourorPlacedesCélestins(yellow
P
means“parkinglot”)orget
advice from your hotel. The TI's map identifies all public parking lots. Overnight parking
(generally 19:00-8:00) is only €4.50, but day rates are €2 per hour (figure about €30/24
hours). Garages near Perrache Station are much cheaper than those near Bellecour.
By Plane:
Lyon'ssleeklittleairport,St-Exupéry,is15milesfromthecitycenter,and
is a breeze to navigate (ATMs, English information booths, airport code: LYS, tel. 08 26
800826,
www.lyonaeroports.com
).IthasconnectionstomajorEuropeancities,including
twoflightsperhourtoParis'CharlesdeGaulleAirport(withaTGVStation).Carrentalis
a snap. Four
Rhône Express
trams per hour make the 30-minute trip from the airport (fol-
low red tram car icons) to Part-Dieu Station, described earlier (€14 one-way, €24 round-
trip, buy ticket from machine, bills and coins accepted). Allow €65 for a taxi if you have
baggage.
Market Days:
A small market stretches along the Saône River near the Passerelle du
Palais de Justice bridge (daily until 12:30). Tuesday through Saturday, it's produce;
Sunday morning, it's crafts and contemporary art on the other side of the bridge near
theCourtofJustice;andMonday,it'stextiles.Anotherbustlingmorningproducemar-
kettakesplaceonBoulevarddelaCroix-Rousse(Tue-Sununtil12:30,biggestonSat,
Festivals:
Lyon celebrates the Virgin Mary with candlelit windows during the Festival
of Lights each year December 8-11 (
www.lumieres.lyon.fr
). Les Nuits de Fourvière
