Roman roots and Renaissance architecture are preserved in the narrow alleyways of France’s third-largest city: Lyon. Between two hills rests centuries-old buildings, secret tunnels and gothic churches that showcase more than 2,000 years of history.
Settlers expanded the city eastward and managed to preserve the earlier dwellings of the past. This method differs from other cities in which the center was destroyed and rebuilt with new styles of architecture. Instead, Lyon’s center has shifted and protected historic districts that now serve as an immersive history textbook.
Four districts in Lyon radiate history from their preserved architecture, so the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization named Vieux-Lyon, Fourviere Hill, the slopes of Croix-Rousse Hill and part of the Presqu’ile area world heritage districts in 1998.
As a tourist, you can stroll the cobblestone streets between the two hills and cross over the two rivers that guard the history of the ancient city. Bring your walking shoes and history knowledge to Lyon to time travel through France.
Fourviere Hill
Lyon was founded by the Romans in 43 B.C. on Fourviere Hill where rivers Rhone and Saone converge. After a climb up several stairs and a steady incline, you will reach the top of this founding site and discover the Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourviere — the symbol of Lyon — and the Roman ruins behind it.
From every angle, the views at the top of this hill never end. You can see the Place Saint-Jean of Vieux-Lyon below and the towers of the basilica reaching for the sky.
The skyline of Lyon rewards those who complete their uphill journey. Florida State University study abroad student Tristen King paused to admire the view before making her way to the basilica’s entrance.
“All of those stairs were worth it,” King said. “The whole walk up we saw the basilica’s towers, and that kept us going. We heard it was a must-see in Lyon, and this view was a nice surprise as well.”
Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourviere and Virgin Mary
The Basilica Notre-Dame of Fourviere sits atop “the hill which prays.” It was built between 1872 and 1884 and is dedicated to the Virgin Mary. The justification for its construction rests in history.
Two years before the basilica’s construction, the Franco-Prussian War endangered Lyon. A local bishop prayed to the Virgin Mary to spare the city from invasion and promised a tribute to her if she saved Lyon. The city escaped unscathed, and construction began.
Lyon’s love for Mary is a common theme throughout the city’s past and present. In 1643, when the plague ravaged the continent, Lyon was threatened, so the notables placed the city under Mary’s protection. The city was spared from the Black Death, so the people of Lyon, even today, go up to the Chapel of the Virgin every Sept. 8 to hear mass and offer the archbishop seven pounds of wax, candles and a gold crown.
Prayers to Virgin Mary are said to have spared Lyon from the curse of the cholera epidemic in 1832. As a thank you, Victor Orsel crafted a large painting that now hangs inside the basilica.
Architects Pierre Bossan and Sainte-Marie Perrin built the 86-meter-long building that presents Byzantine and Romanesque architecture.
The basilica’s prominent presence and historical significance make it Lyon’s emblem, welcoming 2.5 million pilgrims and visitors each year.
If the basilica’s white marble facade that inspired your trek isn’t enough, step inside for gold-ridden mosaics and three cupolas that symbolize the relationship between the Virgin Mary and the three members of the Holy Trinity.
The silence of the basilica’s interior allows you to contemplate the years of history and dedication to the Virgin Mary that Lyon possesses.
Roman Theaters
After exiting the basilica, you wind down a path, and stones that look as if they were straight from Rome greet you. You’re still on your history tour of Lyon, but now you’ve traveled from the 19th century to the first century BC.
When you picture colosseum-esque, stone structures, you normally don’t think of south France, but Lyon is home to two Roman theaters, one that dates to 15 BC.
Augustus constructed the Grand Roman Theater, known as “Theater Romain,” and divided it into three sections to separate the different classes of people. The theater could hold 10,000 spectators and often displayed plays, comedies and dances.
Now, tourists climb the tiered seating and can see a stage that resembles a present-day amphitheater. The large theater and its historic stones are still used for performances. Every year, the theater hosts the Nuits de Fourviere festival.
From your seat in the theater, you see more ancient stones that once crafted the Odeon — the smaller theater, which hosted concerts and poetry readings for nearly 3,000 people.
Behind the Grand Roman Theater, you can venture up the remains of an ancient Roman temple, making history your playground.
Vieux-Lyon District
From the top of Fourviere Hill, you can see the pastel roofs and gothic churches of Vieux Lyon, a protected historical district that remains one of the finest surviving architectural complexes of the Renaissance era.
Buildings date back as early as the 11th century. Vieux Lyon is the largest Renaissance area in Europe, second to Venice.
Restaurants, bakeries and shops scatter the narrow street of Rue Saint-Jean. A walk along the cobblestones will lead you to Saint-Jean Cathedral, whose bells chime and coax you to have a peek indoors.
Lyon Cathedral
Vieux Lyon is home to two churches and a cathedral: Saint Paul, Saint-Jean and Saint George. Saint-Jean Cathedral sits at the heart of Vieux Lyon and is the one tourists flock to see, often referred to as the Lyon Cathedral.
Like the basilica, Saint-Jean Cathedral is a classed historical monument and world heritage site as of 1998. Its architecture tells the story of the city and its construction, which spanned three centuries.
The Romanesque and Gothic cathedral was founded by the first two bishops of Lyon: Saint Pothinus and Saint Irenaeus, who dedicated it to Saint John the Baptist.
When you walk through the large oak doors, for free, stained-glass windows highlight the Renaissance history within the walls.
An astronomical clock comes into view as you near the cathedral’s center. This 30-foot structure is one of the oldest surviving machines from modern times. It was first installed in the church in 1383, then a modern version replaced it in 1562 but was destroyed in a raid. What you see today was built in 1661 and rings every day at noon, 2 p.m., 3 p.m. and 4 p.m.
Although the basilica remains the symbol of Lyon, Saint-Jean Cathedral’s history and beauty demand respect and adoration.
Secret Silk Passageways
Rue Saint-Jean Street, home to the cathedral, was once the center of Lyon’s silk industry and trade. Today, you can scour the cobbles of Vieux Lyon and the Croix Rousse districts to discover historical hidden passages that once bustled with whispers of silk.
Lyon is said to have around 400 traboules, 40 of which are publicly accessible. Traboules are secret, covered passageways used by Canuts silk workers to carry their silks from their workshops in Croix Rousse to the merchants at the hill.
In Vieux Lyon, the streets tend to run parallel to the river, so traveling from one street to the next was difficult. As a solution, traboules allowed workers to transport textiles faster.
These passageways have been versatile throughout history. First, they connected weaving studios to the Saone River. Then they served as battlegrounds during the silk revolutions of the 17th and 18th centuries as the workers protested their poor conditions. And during World War II, they were used for secret meetings and prevented the Nazis from occupying Lyon.
These secret passages were used often as Lyon became the European epicenter for silk. King Louis XI encouraged Lyon’s role in silk by setting up silk manufacture in the city. By 1786, 15,000 looms called Lyon home.
Even today, silk shops decorate the streets, and designers looking for quality silks take their wallets to Lyon.
Soierie Saint-Georges sells silks and preserves history in the heart of Vieux Lyon. Ludovic De la Calle, the shop’s owner, invites customers to cross into the workshop and travel to the 16th century.
“Silk is integral to Lyon’s history,” De la Calle said. “I am pleased to continue the tradition and provide quality silks to the world.”
Ties, headscarves, wraps, chiffon and velvet fabrics fill the store on Rue Saint-Jean Street. You may or may not walk away with a new, soft fabric for as little as €35, but you will leave with a new understanding of French history.
"I love to talk to our customers and offer them the chance to discover the history of this industry right in the back of the store," De la Calle said, pointing to the room behind the register filled with looms and threads.
Lyon’s 2,000 years of history can’t fully be expressed in words. A few days spent walking the cobblestone streets, exploring Roman ruins and admiring Renaissance architecture can transport you to the past, immersing you in French history.
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