If you're arriving at Perrache train station than I recommend this walk as a good introduction to Lyon: walk across Place Carnot (beware of drug users, prostitutes and pickpockets who plague this square from 9pm onwards), follow Rue Victor Hugo to its end stopping to look at the top name boutiques and shops.

At the end of Rue Victor Hugo is Place Bellecour. From Place Bellecour turn left to cross the Saone river and enter the Fourvière district via the Pont Bonaparte. Go straight across Quai Fulchiron and enter Place St Jean and explore old Lyon at your own pace.

Walk out of Perrache train station and keep going straight

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The views from the terrace of Basilique de Notre Dame de Fourvière are amazing with clear sights of Cathédrale St Jean, Place Bellecour, the 'Crayon' skyscraper, and the control tower of St Exupéry airport. Only from this place can you appreciate the immense size of Lyon.

It's also a great starting point for a walking tour of Fourvière.

Just follow signs for Basilique de Notre Dame de Fourvière from Place Bellecour or take the funicilar from Vieux Lyon métro station

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Fourvière hill is where the Romans set up Lugnudum (their name for Lyon) and contains the treasures of Cathédrale St Jean, Basillique Notre Dame de Fourvière, Place St Jean, Rue St Jean and a Roman amphitheatre.

Just take the funicular from the bottom of Fourvière hill up to Basillique Notre or walk up from Cathédrale St Jean and lose yourself in the alleyways and squares of old Lyon.

Fourvière hill lies on the left bank of the Saone river opposite Presqu'ile. From Place Bellecour just follow the signs for Fourvière.

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From the Latin "trans ambulare", these are curious and often gorgeous covered passages that go all through old Lyon and the croix-rousse district. Lyon was (and is) a silkweaving town, and weavers used these passages to move their goods without getting them rained on.

Without the addresses in the links below, you'd never know they were there, and neither did the gestapo...

Sniffing out the traboules is a favourite Sunday activity of locals too! Just mind the signs asking for quiet, these are often private passages.

www.magazine.fr/lyon-cite/LOISIRS/GUIDE/index.html

www.lyon.fr/vdl/sections/fr/urbanisme/cours_traboules_lyon/a_visiter/

www.lyon.fr/vdl/sections/en/urbanisme/cours_traboules_lyon/?aIndex=1

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