2 Days in Lyon – The Perfect Weekend in France’s Food Capital
I have a serious crush on Lyon and I have since the first time I visited. It is France’s third largest city and one of its most underrated, a place that manages to feel lively and beautiful and deeply relaxed all at once in a way that Paris, for all its magic, simply does not. The food scene is extraordinary… Lyon is widely considered the food capital of France, and when you spend two days here… you’ll see why. (In my opinion, the bouchons alone are worth the trip). If you’re a food lover and you have not been to Lyon yet, consider this your sign!
Why Lyon?
I have a serious crush on Lyon – and I have since the first time I visited. It is France’s most underrated city and the one I recommend most enthusiastically to anyone planning a trip beyond Paris. There is something about it that feels completely different from anywhere else in France with a Mediterranean warmth, a slightly Portuguese feeling to the streets and buildings, and a food scene so extraordinary that it has earned Lyon the title of food capital of France. Not food capital of the region. Food capital of the entire country. In a country that takes food as seriously as France does, that is not a small claim… the bouchons alone are worth the trip.
How to Get to Lyon
Getting to Lyon is one of the easiest parts of planning this trip. It sits almost perfectly in the middle of France, which means it connects naturally to almost everywhere else on a France itinerary.
from paris
The TGV train from Paris Gare de Lyon takes approximately 2 hours and is one of the easiest train journeys in France. You leave Paris in the morning and by the afternoon, you’re sitting in a bouchon for lunch!
Visiting Paris too? Don’t miss…
from annecy
If you are combining Lyon with Annecy – which I highly recommend – the train between the two takes approximately 2 hours. Lyon and Annecy together make one of the best 4 to 5 day itineraries in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. Read my complete 2 Days in Annecy guide if you are planning both!
from the south of france
The journey from Nice to Lyon is approximately 2.5 hours by train. From Marseille approximately 1.5 hours. Lyon works beautifully as a midpoint stop on a journey between Paris and the south – or as a standalone destination flying into one of those cities and working your way north.
Day 1 in Lyon
Morning – Fourière Basilica & Vieux-Lyon
Start your first day in Lyon early at the top of the hill. The Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourvière sits on the hill above Lyon and offers incredible vies of the city. To get to the top of the hill, you can walk, which is steep and takes about 20 to 30 minutes. Or you can do what I did and rent an electric bike, which makes the climb entirely manageable and leaves you with a bike for the rest of the day. I would strongly recommend the bike option (more on that below).
After visiting the basilica, walk back down through Vieux-Lyon – the old town at the foot of the Fourvière hill and one of the largest Renaissance districts in Europe. It is UNESCO listed and it looks it with cobblestone streets, ochre and terracotta facades, medieval towers, and the traboules that Lyon is famous for. The traboules are hidden passageways that cut through the buildings and connect one street to another through a series of courtyards and staircases – they were used by the silk weavers to transport their goods and later by the French Resistance during WWII. Make sure to stop into Cigoire for gifts and Lyon-made products – one of my favorite boutiques in the city and the perfect place to pick up something local.
Afternoon – Lunch & Parc de la Tête d’Or
For your first lunch in Lyon, I recommend Micro Sillon – a natural wine bar and wine shop in the heart of Lyon with excellent food and one of the best wine selections in the city. It’s the perfect introduction to Lyon’s food culture before you hit a proper bouchon for dinner.
After lunch rent electric bikes if you have not already and head to Parc de la Tête d’Or – one of the largest urban parks in France and one of the most beautiful. The park is completely free to enter and covers over 100 hectares on the banks of the Rhône – a lake you can row on, rose gardens, a small zoo, and an incredible green space that makes you forget you are in the middle of a major city. If you’re only getting bikes for the park, you can use the Vélo’v app to unlock a street bike. Otherwise, if you’re renting for the whole day, I recommend Head to ComhiC in old Lyon where you can rent an electric bike for the day. The shop opens at 9:30am and I would recommend heading there upon opening to ensure a bike rental is available. (In my experience, you did not need to reserve a bike ahead of time).
Evening – Cocktails & Dinner
For the evening start with cocktails at L’Antiquaire – a beautiful Art Deco bar in the Presqu’île with one of the best cocktail programs in Lyon. The atmosphere is warm and slightly theatrical and it is exactly the right way to ease into a Lyon evening. From there, dinner at Le Poelon d’Or my personal favorite bouchon in the city. The cooking is deeply traditional Lyonnaise, the room just feels so French with checkered tablecloths, chalkboard menus, carafe wine. The whole experience feels fun and special without trying too hard. Book well in advance!
Day 2 in Lyon
Morning – Croix-Rousse & the Market
Start Day 2 in Croix-Rousse – the neighborhood that sits on the hill above the Presqu’île and is, in my opinion, the most characterful and genuinely local-feeling part of Lyon. Historically this was the silk weavers’ district and today it is a neighborhood of artists, independent shops, and morning markets that feels removed from the tourist version of Lyon happening down below.
The Croix-Rousse market runs every morning except Monday and is one of the best daily markets in France – fresh produce, local cheese, charcuterie, flowers, and the kind of atmosphere that makes you want to move to Lyon immediately. Walk through it slowly, buy something you cannot resist, and then find a table at Mill Factory for coffee. Mill Factory is great for coffee and pastries (although I would not recommend the food aside from the pastries).
Afternoon – Lunch & Presqu’île
For Day 2 lunch you have two great options depending on your mood. Your first choice would be Le Mercière, a bouchon that sits on the famous rue Mercière in the heart of the Presqu’île. The food is classic Lyonnaise and the setting is everything you want from a Lyon lunch. Book in advance.
Your second choice would be La Grenade is my personal pick for something slightly more relaxed. They have excellent food and a very, very local feeling. Either way you cannot go wrong.
After lunch, spend your afternoon on the Presqu’île – Lyon’s central peninsula between the Rhône and the Saône, where the city’s grandest streets and squares are concentrated. Place Bellecour is one of the largest open squares in France and worth checking out. The shopping streets around it are excellent for browsing. If art is your thing the Musée des Beaux-Arts on Place des Terreaux is one of the finest art museums in France outside Paris – housed in a 17th-century former convent with an extraordinary permanent collection. Allow two hours if you go.
Evening – Last Bouchon Experience
End your two days in Lyon the only way that makes sense – at a proper bouchon. For the full traditional experience I recommend Au Petit Bouchon Chez Georges or Bouchon Tupin – both are as close to the original Lyon bouchon experience as you will find anywhere in the city. Checked tablecloths, paper napkins, carafe wine, chalkboard menus, and cooking that has been passed down through generations. No matter which you choose, book well in advance and go hungry!
A Note on Bouchons
If you have never eaten at a bouchon before, a little context goes a long way. A bouchon is Lyon’s version of a bistro, but more “niche” and rooted in local tradition. The word itself likely comes from the bundles of straw that were historically hung above the door to signal that horses could be fed inside, and the restaurants that evolved around those stops became the bouchons that Lyon is famous for today.
The setting is always similar – small rooms, checked tablecloths, paper napkins, handwritten or chalkboard menus, and carafes of Beaujolais or Côtes du Rhône on every table. The cooking is hearty and generous with large portions. After all, the philosophy is abundance rather than refinement.
The dishes to know before you go: salade lyonnaise is the classic starter – frisée lettuce with lardons, a poached egg, and croutons in a warm vinaigrette. Quenelles are Lyon’s signature dish (and my personal favorite) – a delicate dumpling made from pike fish, served in a rich cream sauce. Andouillette is a pork sausage with a very strong flavor… order it if you are adventurous, skip it if you are not. The atmosphere is as important as the food. Bouchons are loud, warm, and convivial in a way that makes you feel immediately welcome even if you have just walked in off the street. There is a reason Lyon earned its title as the food capital of France, and sitting in a bouchon for two hours is the best possible way to understand why.
Where to Stay in Lyon
Stay in Vieux-Lyon or the Presqu’île for the best location – both put you within easy walking distance of everything on this itinerary. Lyon has a genuinely excellent luxury hotel scene and these are the properties I would point you towards.
cour des loges
My personal recommendation and the hotel I stayed at in Lyon, and I would stay again without hesitation. Cour des Loges is a Radisson Collection property set within four interconnected Renaissance mansions in the heart of Vieux-Lyon, with original traboules running through the building, a Michelin-starred restaurant, hidden gardens, a spa, and rooms that feel like stepping directly into the history of the city. The hotel is a 10 minute walk from Fourvière and right in the middle of everything Vieux-Lyon has to offer.
intercontinental lyon – hôtel-dieu
One of the most impressive hotels in Lyon set in a former hospital, is the InterContinental Lyon – Hôtel Dieu. A stunning 18th-century building on the banks of the Rhône that was transformed into a five-star hotel. The grand dome, the colonnaded courtyards, and the river-facing terrace make it one of the best places to stay in Lyon. Here you’ll find a full spa with hammam, steam room and sauna, multiple restaurants, and a location that is hard to beat.
villa florentine
Perched on the slopes of Fourvière with panoramic views over the city and the rivers below, Villa Florentine is the most romantic hotel in Lyon. It’s a 15th-century convent transformed into a 28-room five-star retreat with terraced gardens, a heated outdoor pool, and a fine dining restaurant with a terrace that looks out over the entire city. The views at sunset are exceptional. A 10-minute walk from the Basilica and a short ride down to Vieux-Lyon. For those who want to wake up above the city but still feel a bit removed from it.
villa maïa
Villa Maïa is a sleek, contemporary five-star on the Fourvière hillside with 36 rooms and suites with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the city, an indoor heated pool, hammam, sauna, and a spa. The design is modern and minimalist in a way that feels completely at odds with the Renaissance architecture surrounding it. The pool terrace with views over Lyon is one of the best hotel amenities in the city.
Practical Tips for Visiting Lyon
A few things worth knowing before you go that will make your two days significantly smoother…
Book your bouchons in advance. This cannot be said enough. The best bouchons in Lyon all fill up fast, particularly on weekends and throughout summer.
Avoid August if you can. Lyon is a city that runs on locals, and in August the locals leave. Many of the best restaurants and bouchons close for the entire month, the markets thin out, and the city loses some of the energy that makes it so special. Late spring – May and June, and autumn – September and October – are the best times to visit.
The traboules are worth seeking out. Most of the traboules in Vieux-Lyon are open to the public during the day – you simply push open the door and walk through. Some require a door code but many do not. The Office de Tourisme de Lyon publishes a map of the accessible traboules which is worth picking up or downloading before you explore.
Getting around is easy. Lyon has an excellent metro system, a Vélo’v bike-share scheme, and a city center compact enough to cover largely on foot. If you are renting electric bikes for the Fourvière and Parc de la Tête d’Or route, one day of bike rental covers most of what you need. The metro is useful for getting between Vieux-Lyon, the Presqu’île, and Croix-Rousse quickly.
Lyon pairs beautifully with Annecy. If you are planning a longer trip through the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, Lyon and Annecy together make one of the best four to five day itineraries in France. Two hours apart by train, completely different in character, and together they give you the full picture of what this incredible region has to offer. Read my complete 2 Days in Annecy guide for everything you need to know.
Lyon is the kind of city that can really surprise you (while simultaneously winning you over). It is quieter than Paris, more relaxed, and more local-feeling. The food is extraordinary, the city is beautiful, and two days is just enough time to fall completely in love with it and start planning your return. For any foodie visiting France, Lyon is not optional – it is essential.
Planning a Trip to France?
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