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Complete Lyon: free self-guided audio tour of Lyon
Complete Lyon is a free self-guided audio walking tour of Lyon, France: 7 stops in about 2 h 20. The Itinerarly app walks you from one stop to the next and plays a short narrated story when you arrive, in English, French, Spanish, Italian and Chinese.
| Stops | 7 |
|---|---|
| Duration | about 2 h 20, including time at each stop |
| Difficulty | Challenging |
| Distance | about 8.9 km in straight lines between the stops (a little more on foot) |
| Start | Fourvière Basilica |
| Finish | Confluences Museum |
| Price | Free (some sights charge their own entry ticket) |
| Languages | English, French, Spanish, Italian and Chinese |
Viewpoints, squares and parks
The stops, in order
- Fourvière BasilicaOverlooking the city from the 'praying hill', the Notre-Dame de Fourvière Basilica is Lyon's spiritual symbol. Built between 1872 and 1884, it features an eclectic architecture blending Byzantine, Gothic, and Romanesque styles, designed by Pierre Bossan. Its imposing exterior with four crenelated towers contrasts with the opulence of its interior covered in dazzling gold mosaics.
- Amphitheater of the Three GaulsLocated on the slopes of Croix-Rousse, the Amphitheater of the Three Gauls is a site steeped in political and religious history. Built in 19 AD, it was the federal center of the Imperial cult where representatives of the sixty Gallic nations gathered each year to demonstrate their loyalty to Rome. It is also a site of great solemnity, as it was here in 177 AD that the first Christian martyrs of Gaul perished, including Saint Blandine and Saint Pothinus.
- Fresco of the LyonnaisYou are standing before the Fresco of the Lyonnais, the most famous of Lyon's painted walls. This masterful 800-square-meter trompe-l'œil, created by the CitéCréation association, features thirty historical and contemporary Lyon personalities who seem to be looking at us from their balconies. You will recognize the Lumière brothers, inventors of cinema; the Little Prince and its author Antoine de Saint-Exupéry; the great chef Paul Bocuse; or Abbé Pierre.
- Place des TerreauxPlace des Terreaux is the institutional and artistic heart of Lyon, surrounded by prestigious buildings such as City Hall and the Palais Saint-Pierre. At its center, you cannot miss the monumental fountain by Bartholdi, the creator of the Statue of Liberty. This impressive work represents France guiding a chariot pulled by four spirited horses symbolizing major French rivers.
- Parc de la Tête d'OrParc de la Tête d'Or is Lyon's true green lung, stretching over 117 hectares in the heart of the city. Opened in 1857, this English-style landscaped park is one of France's most beautiful urban parks. It features a huge 16-hectare lake for boating, a world-renowned botanical garden, and an international rose garden that is dazzling in June.
- Rhône BanksThe Rhône Banks have become, after a spectacular urban redevelopment, the favorite outdoor living space for Lyon's residents. Stretching for 5 kilometers from Parc de la Tête d'Or to Parc de Gerland, these shores offer a space of freedom for pedestrians, cyclists, and rollerbladers. You will find numerous moored barges transformed into bars or restaurants, creative playgrounds, and themed gardens.
- Confluences MuseumAt the meeting point of the Rhône and the Saône stands the Confluences Museum, a bold deconstructivist architecture of glass and steel nicknamed 'the Cloud'. Designed by the Coop Himmelb(l)au firm, this futuristic building looks ready to take flight. Inside, the permanent tour explores humanity's major questions through natural sciences, ethnology, and civilizations.
How to take this tour
- Install the free Itinerarly app on iPhone or Android and create a free account.
- Open Guided tours, choose Lyon, then Complete Lyon.
- Start whenever you like: the app guides you to Fourvière Basilica and the story plays when you arrive at each stop.
Other audio tours of Lyon
Frequently asked questions
- Is the Complete Lyon tour in Lyon free?
- Yes. It is one of 3 free self-guided audio tours of Lyon in the Itinerarly app. Some sights charge their own entry ticket.
- How long does the Complete Lyon tour take?
- About 2 h 20 for 7 stops, including time at each stop.
- Where does the Complete Lyon tour start and finish?
- It starts at Fourvière Basilica and finishes at Confluences Museum.
- Which languages is the narration in?
- English, French, Spanish, Italian and Chinese, with natural-sounding synthetic voices.