Top 10 Things To Do In Lyon | France Travel Guide

[@victoremmanuel1867]

VERY FRIENDLY AND GOOD WAY OF PRESENTING THE PLACE. REALISTIC INFORMATION. THANK YOU

[@FindingGinaMarie]

Hi Victor, Thanks so much for watching. There's so much more to see in Lyon, but we were so glad we could experience what we did. It's a beautiful city! -Judy

[@ericdurville6306]

I really like your video. I am French and I live in old Lyon near the restaurants where you have been. The first "Bouchon" in which you ate is probably one of the cheapest and worst restaurants in old Lyon. No luck. This restaurant is what we call here: "a tourist trap". The second restaurant "Les Lyonnais" is of much better quality. Judy's Lyonnaise salad seems to be what we call in France a "Grande salade Repas". That is to say a large Lyonnaise salad to replace a meal. In general, when we want to eat less we take a "Lyonnaise salad as a starter" which is much smaller. Thank you for your smile and for your kindness.

[@FindingGinaMarie]

Hi Eric, Thank you so much for watching and for your insights. Even when I got a salad as a meal, I couldn't imagine eating that much of the lardons! And you're right about the first place. The food and service felt very transactional and we didn't love it, which is why we went to the second place, which did hit the mark. I would go back again to taste a few of the dishes we had there! -Judy

[@lindab5789]

We visit Lyon 2 years ago and loved it. It has a more relaxed feeling than Paris, but with plenty of wonderful things to see and do. We visited a nearby winery and enjoyed all the great food in the old town. Highly recommend visiting Lyon. Thanks for sharing!

[@FindingGinaMarie]

Thanks so much for sharing your experience, Linda! Our video this Saturday will be from Paris, which we hadn't been to since 2017. We are glad to hear your experience with Lyon was so enjoyable, too! We wish we had more time there because a winery tour sounds divine! -Judy

[@crrizello5157]

We spent 4 nights in Lyon in 2019 and really it wasn't enough time. We didn't get to any of those museums, but we did stay in Vieux Lyon and thought it was perfect. A boat ride over to the Confluence section was fun and we found a Michelin star restaurant to enjoy. Also did a day trip to Annecy. Can't wait to go back to Lyon!

[@FindingGinaMarie]

Hi Rizello, What a fun trip you had in Lyon! We always find it a challenge about whether to see someplace new or to re-visit someplace we love. Lyon is one of those places we'd like to visit again, too! We took a detour after Colmar to spend a few days in Paris, which we hadn't visited since 2017, so we were overdue, too! We hated to cut Colmar short, though! It's with a side trip there if you go back to Lyon! -Judy 🎥 Colmar, France is a Fairytale Brought To Life! kzbin.info/www/bejne/o2HIq5msqtKtoc0

[@run6409]

I go to Lyon every year, it is perfect in early April-May and then again in September-October. Wish you had had time to visit the farmers markets and the wonderful bakeries. It is a beautiful ciry. If you go again, take time to visit the wineries outside the city and also try and visit the town of Grenoble.

[@FindingGinaMarie]

Yes, we had no idea! This was a stopover before visiting Colmar to meet one of our viewers. It looked like an interesting place, but it is spectacular. We were playing catch up after our time in the US, so we couldn't enjoy it to the fullest. We definitely want to visit again when we have more time! Thanks for the recommendation about Grenoble! -Judy

[@sagar25yes]

What area to stay in .I am looking at going start October

[@run6409]

@@sagar25yes Stay in the city centre.

[@reluctantlawyer517]

Thanks for the video. I think you hit most of the important places of interest. For me, this city is less about the sites and more about the overall experience of being here. I am enjoying shopping at the markets. There is a great outdoor market in the Croix-Rousse neighborhood that is open every day except Monday. I have been cooking every night using the incredible ingredients I have found at this market along with others. I know that for this video you had only a short time to explore and I think you did a great job in showing the highlights. I hope you get the chance to come back and spend more time in the city. We are enjoying it immensely.

[@FindingGinaMarie]

We agree, Stan, regarding the overall experience! We were not expecting to be so impressed. And I do wish we had found some of the local markets. We used the grocery story a reasonable amount, but we didn't have much opportunity to really find a great market. And it was so hot and no air conditioning in our Airbnb! I'm so glad you are enjoying yourselves. We definitely felt like we could have stayed longer. Definitely a place to return to. Enjoy the rest of your stay! -Judy

[@eera3756]

hi, do you have any market you recomment?

[@reluctantlawyer517]

@@eera3756 my favorite market was the one in Croix Rousse. It is open every day except Monday. It is more of a locals market. I went there virtually every day to get things for dinner and it was great.

[@peterh8129]

Congratulations both that was a very good trip report. We only found Lyon in 2017, now visit every year from the UK & have made some friends through the Greeters network who we meet up with each trip. We are back in 5 weeks for our 2nd visit this year & that minatures museum is really one of a kind. I'd recommend the Fête des Lumières to anyone but with the caveat that the city gets amazingly crowded however the light shows are stunning. Well done. 👏👏

[@FindingGinaMarie]

Hi Peter, Thank you so much for watching and for your kind words, especially as a veteran visitor to Lyon! Thanks for the support regarding the miniatures museum. I know there are very cool places like this in Hollywood, but we were delighted to see this in Lyon. I'm still trying to decide whether festivals are worth seeing in exchange for the crowds and higher prices. I think I'd be very selective when deciding which ones are worth the tradeoffs. Thanks for sharing your experiences! -Judy

[@enriquesanchez2001]

WONDERFUL

[@FindingGinaMarie]

Awww, thank you so much, Enrique! We so appreciate you! -Judy

[@tedg4171]

This definitely appealed to me. I think I would like the museum of miniature cinema and that Notre Dame cathedral looked spectacular with the mosaics and inside architecture. Thanks for showing us the city. It makes me want to include this on a trip to France sometime. I hate walking on those cobblestone streets though.

[@FindingGinaMarie]

Hi Ted, Yes, Lyon is such an interesting city! We are so glad that you enjoyed our video. I don't typically. mind cobblestones, but there was no way to get around them in Vieux Lyon. Even in Italy it seems that there's a side panel or strip that doesn't have them, but here there was no way around them in the old town. We had no idea Lyon would be so beautiful with so much to do! Thanks so much for watching! -Judy

[@erinaustin9968]

A fabulous video! You saw a lot in a short amount of time. We’re here in Lyon (for 3 weeks) and can vouch for all the experiences. The food is so good!

[@FindingGinaMarie]

We hope you enjoy the rest of your time there, Erin. Thanks so much for watching! We did not know that there was so much to enjoy in Lyon. We knew there'd be enough to hold our interest, but it went above and beyond! -Judy

[@bw5911]

Omg, I am going there in December so this is perfect timing. Thx u!❤️

[@FindingGinaMarie]

We hope you have a great time, BW! We had no idea it would be such a cool city! -Judy

[@bw5911]

@@FindingGinaMarie I’m so excited to watch this video. I am going to be there the first weekend in December for the festival of lights and then go to a bunch of Christmas markets.

[@FindingGinaMarie]

@bw5911 Oh wow, that will be amazing! I hope you are staying in Vieux Lyon! We loved it! -Judy

[@bw5911]

@@FindingGinaMarie I will try!

[@PennyPincher60]

What a wonderful tour. Thanks for the heads up on the heat. I will plan on going in late Sept and early October.

[@FindingGinaMarie]

Hi @PennyPincher60, That would be perfect timing for a visit! It's quite a lovely city! -Judy

[@TrekkingwithDebandMike]

Omg, fabulous.

[@FindingGinaMarie]

Wow, thanks for that compliment and for watching, Deb & Mike! -Judy

[@kathleenh6773]

Were you able to go to the Lugdunum Gallo Roman Museum at the amphitheater? It is wonderful to walk in on a hot day. It is a spectacular museum the lay out is beautiful. Don't miss it if you return.

[@FindingGinaMarie]

Hi Kathleen, I wish we had been able to visit the museum. There was so much we wanted to see. We weren't sure how much the museum would hold compared to what we've seen in Rome, but it sounds like it's worth a visit. Thank you so much for the recommendation! -Judy

[@danbulowski7013]

I really enjoyed this video thanks guys👏 I also get a kick out of seeing places I love again. I like how you don’t explain everything about the attractions you visit, a lot of other KZbin creators are walking spoiler alerts😅 We visited last October, and the amphitheatre area was pumping with a local carnival. It was a lucky unplanned surprise🤣. It was packed out. Near the old town, just a few minutes walk uphill from the Traboules, is an ancient timber stair and elevated walkway system, hanging on the side of a building. I forget exactly how old it was, but it drips with history, the locals have gone to pains to keep it preserved. The Musee de Confluences is really cool, they have some cracking displays, including one of the best preserved Tasmanian tigers in existence. Also, a stroll through the botanical gardens and free zoo is worth it. I thought the astronomical clock wasn’t working anymore? Did they finally fix it? It’s been out of commission for years. Speaking of astronomical clocks, hopefully you finally get a chance to see the one in Prague, perhaps via Strasbourg to see theirs too? 😂 I can see Czechia being an ideal long stay for you two. It’s still quite cheap, so long as you avoid staying in Prague 1 or 2. Still only 5 minutes walk to the old town area, but so much cheaper. Outer suburbia and regional areas are very cheap. There are so many places to day trip to, public transport is excellent and cheap too. You could easily do two months there.

[@FindingGinaMarie]

Thanks so much for watching, Dan! We love hearing that we could bring back some fond memories of your previous visit to Lyon. How lucky you were to have come during a festive time of year. We took the stairs from Fourviere Hill down to the traboules, but we must have missed seeing the timber stairs. Thanks for the suggestion about the Musee de Confluences. There were so many things to see. As far as the astronomical clock, I think it was operational since there wasn't any scaffolding around it. But we didn't know it had been out of commission to check if it was working! We missed Strasbourg and are disappointed about it. We actually are hoping to visit Prague next June. It's been on my bucket list for quite a while! The problem with extended time in any one country in Europe is that it seriously impedes our Schengen time. Today I got the final bit of paperwork that needs to be translated before we can file our Italian dual citizenship paperwork with the court in Italy. It will probably take another two years for a decision, but time is passing regardless. We can't wait until we have a Schengen workaround! -Judy

[@greggiacona238]

Lovely video guys, I’ve been away for a few months, but getting back into your videos and catching up. Good to see France! Don’t know much about it so I’m learning!

[@FindingGinaMarie]

Glad to have you back, Greg! We have an entire series from France! We love the country and enjoyed visiting Colmar and Paris this year as well as the French Riviera last year. It's a beautiful country! -Judy 🎥 France video series: kzbin.info/aero/PLNT98lWfwdF30QE6-tAwEgv1BtjqNcWRg

[@greggiacona238]

@ great, good to know, I’ll be looking at all of them in the coming days! By the way, I love the piano background music in the Lyon video. I’m a professional pianist producer composer arranger here in Austin, Texas if you guys ever need any custom music for your videos, look me up I’d love to be part of your adventure! :-). Tell Kevin I’ve been an Apple Mac guy for 3.5 decades-the best platform for music production! (he’s an ex Apple exec, right?)

[@FindingGinaMarie]

What a cool, small world. Two of our kids currently are living in Austin. And Kevin is very jealous of your background. During lockdown he started dabbling in playing keyboard and would love to have an instrument with us on our travels. We will definitely keep you in mind for custom music! Our first Apple computer was the 128K Mac we got in March, 1984! We wish that he was an Apple exec, but he was an engineer there for nearly ten years before we decided to be on the road full time. Thanks for the kudos regarding his music selection. It means a lot to him to hear that you enjoyed it! -Judy

[@greggiacona238]

@@FindingGinaMarie Apple engineer, not exec--got it! No wonder your videos are so well-done! Hope to meet your kids here someday! My first Mac was an LC II in 1989/1990. If Kevin ever wants to discuss music/MIDI/digital audio--come find me! XO, Greg

[@FindingGinaMarie]

Thanks for the offer, Greg! I'm most likely not in your class of musicianship, but I've enjoyed getting better at guitar over the years, and started to learn the keyboard a few months prior to this adventure. I tried to pick it up when I was in my 30's, but it didn't click. Then after diving back into guitar and taking lessons again in my 50's, it amazed me how much easier it was to grasp chords on the keyboard. I have another KZbin channel, @WhiskyRiffs, where I taught myself how to edit videos. That channel was also designed to help me find the courage to play guitar on camera (kzbin.info/www/bejne/ipWtgnqqhtSeZ6c). I sold one of my guitars to a friend before this adventure started, but I couldn't part with the other three, which are still in a San Francisco storage unit with our original 128K Mac. When we go back in 2025, I'll have to make the tough choice to let them all go. We simply don't have plans to settle down anytime soon. Cheers and thanks for the generous offer to contribute original music! Epidemic Sound is good, but custom would be so cool. - Kevin

[@surnamename293]

I have one question (sorry for my English). In the beginning you said you only stayed 2 days in Lyon and recommend to stay longer. At the end of the Video you said something like you stayed 8 days or nights (costs). I am now confused 2 or 8 days😅. I am sure after your explanation I understand it better 😊.

[@FindingGinaMarie]

We only had two days to sightsee. We were there a total of eight days, but we had just come back from three weeks in the US and were behind on our videos, so we spent the rest of our days working. We were able to eat out and cook, but we didn’t really have much time to explore. Great question! -Judy

[@surnamename293]

​@@FindingGinaMarieOkayyy, got it 😊

[@chrismathis4162]

Should have bought the Lyon City card. It includes transportation and most of the sights and museums. It’s much cheaper than buying individually.

[@FindingGinaMarie]

Hi Chris, For us, the city card would have been slightly more expensive for the time we had there. Because we see a little at a time over the course of our time in a place, a 24 or 48-hour pass would have cost more than what we paid, which was US$70.54. A 48-hour pass would have been 35.90€, and it would have meant we would have had to cram everything into a shorter amount of time. We would walk, see an activity, eat and go back to our Airbnb and work, and we did that over several days. But it's a great suggestion for our viewers, so thanks for mentioning it. I hope people planning a visit see your comment! -Judy

[@nycp1969]

I spent a day in Lyon last February. I liked it a lot. Something curious that both my French companion and I noticed is that there are not a lot of cafes in Lyon. Definitely not the same type of daily life and ubiquity that cafes represent in Paris. I'd always thought cafes were a French thing, but maybe they're more of a Northern France thing?

[@FindingGinaMarie]

We had to wander farther than we expected for a good cafe as well. But that's because we found Lyon to be fairly spread out. We found some nice places, but they either opened up late or they closed for random days, and they were more food focused than places for coffee and a pastry. In researching it a bit, we learned that the Lyonnaise culture emphasizes food, and locals often prioritize dining experiences over casual cafe visits. It matches our experience. Good observation. We were a tiny bit frustrated by it, but never actually connected the dots. It makes sense, though. Thanks for watching! -Judy

[@nycp1969]

@@FindingGinaMarie Yes, that's exactly what my friend and I figured as well. After all, Lyon has an entire restaurant category--the bouchon--all their own. It's just funny to think of the Lyonnais sort of "out-cuisining" the Parisians, who take food so seriously themselves. I'm going to do some action research on this. I've been to Tours, and there were definitely enough cafes as to not raise the question. I'm doing a day in Bordeaux next month, and I'll see if they have a cafe culture. My guess is their emphasis on wine would indicate yes. I'm also considering retiring in Nice, so I'll see if they have cafes when I visit next year. Thanks for your response. I'll subscribe to your channel!

[@FindingGinaMarie]

@@nycp1969 I know! I was surprised that it was considered such a gastronomical heavyweight. We spent time in Cagnes-sur-Mer and surrounding cities, including Nice, and they did have more of a cafe culture. We found an amazing bakery where we ate pain au chocolat daily. Gosh I miss that place (but my waistline is glad to be out of there). Divine! Thank you so much for doing this action research on behalf of all of us. We appreciate your hard work! ☕☕☕

[@123benny4]

When travelling, there are NO mistakes. It's a learning experience. Explore, get lost, make mistakes, ask for help, find your way around.

[@FindingGinaMarie]

Hi @123benny4, We absolutely do agree with you. We don't mind learning lessons, especially if it can help our viewers avoid those same issues or the mistakes make us better travelers. You have the right attitude! -Judy

[@quentinbobin2549]

ask locals about the hidden roman ruins on Fourvière and Saint-Just !

[@FindingGinaMarie]

Hi Quentin, We actually did visit the Roman ruins. They were outstanding. I don't think we saw the Trion Mausoleums (or if so, we certainly didn't identify them as that). -Judy

[@Horsegirl663]

Which Airbnb did you stay in Lyon? Would you recommend it?

[@FindingGinaMarie]

Hi @Horsegirl663, Our biggest issue with this Airbnb was that there was no air conditioning. However, there was a big portable fan that kept us comfortable, even though we were there in a very hot part of the year (mid August!). The location was terrific. Let us know if you need any additional information. -Judy www.airbnb.com/rooms/24445367?guests=1&adults=1&s=67&unique_share_id=a18fa376-137a-4dd1-9494-987dc69bdeae

[@Horsegirl663]

Thank you for your response! Appreciate the feedback! ❤

[@FindingGinaMarie]

@@Horsegirl663 Any time! We hope you enjoy Lyon! -Judy

[@Publius1953]

I reside in Lyon and confirm it is a fantastic city. I wanted to add to your mistake list regarding August. The heat is absolutely unbearable (sometimes reaching 104F). ALSO, August is the vacation month for 90% of the residents. Most restaurants, stores, and most other places are closed for the month.

[@FindingGinaMarie]

Hi @Publius1953, Yes, it was SO hot! We typically try to avoid all of Europe during August for the very reason you mention, but we really wanted to meet up with a couple of our supporters who were going to be in Colmar. Thank you so much for watching and for validating our concerns! -Judy 🎥 France video series: kzbin.info/aero/PLNT98lWfwdF30QE6-tAwEgv1BtjqNcWRg

[@Jessynberries]

It's a shame on us, lyon inhabitant that tourist still eat in rue saint jean. That's a tourist trap and you deserve so much better than this to really discover our food 😊

[@FindingGinaMarie]

We did enjoy our meal at Les Lyonnais, which was at 19 rue de la Bombarde. We felt like there had to be a better representation of bouchons, and we are so glad we found it. They aren't inexpensive, but if you eat at a good one, it's very worthwhile! Thanks for watching, @Jessynberries. -Judy

[@manciniman4834]

Why are some Americans envious of better countries than theirs like say France and Italy which are in God’s own country in that sense . See the life in totality and see the superior infrastructure. Very safe, variety of food, health care at it’s best , etc etc the comments border on a sense of superiority but not knowing that they are themselves migrants once from Europe.

[@FindingGinaMarie]

@manciniman4834, I'm not sure what comments you're referring to. If you're saying that the US is superior to Europe, that's an arguable opinion. I'd say that the US has done some things well, but there's an awful lot it can improve upon. If I've misunderstood your point, please clarify it for me. -Judy 🎥 Why We'll Never Live in the US Again: kzbin.info/www/bejne/rpa3lYCGh8yeja8