The Lyon metropolitan area, the largest in the Rhône-Alpes region, lies in a strategic location in the natural plain of the Rhone Valley. It is surrounded by the Beaujolais country in the north, the Monts du Lyonnais in the west, and the plains of the Dombes and Isère in the east and north. Strolling about the different quarters of the city, you find yourself transported into any number of historical eras.
Vieux Lyon (Old Lyon)
In 1964, Vieux Lyon became the first protected historic district in France. It is one of the largest Renaissance quarters in Europe and was named a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1998.
The Vieux Lyon quarter spreads across the Fourvière hillside and is organized around three religious monuments :
- Saint Jean cathedral, the oldest of the three, and which still has its medieval apse, is a fine example of the Gothic art tradition. Of special interest are the remarkable astronomic clock and the impressive central stained glass rose window. The chapel of the Bourbons was built later, in the 15th century.
- the splendid medieval church of Saint Paul with its octagonal bell tower, its frescoes of musician angels dated 1480 and its excellent acoustics make it a charming venue for concerts.
- Saint Georges church, built in the 19th century by Bossan, the architect of Fourvière basilica. The surrounding homes date back to the Middle Ages and were extended and embellished in the 16th and 17th centuries.
Fourviere
The Fourvière and Saint Just districts are part of the area classified as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1998.
It is on Fourvière Hill that you will find vestiges of the Roman city in an archeological site covering a vast area. An archeological park encompasses a large portion of the site. Starting in the 6th and especially the 7th century, numerous religious congregations began setting up edifices on the slopes of Fourvière, hence its reputation as "the praying hill". The district still bears evidence of the strong presence of the religious orders.
Croix-Rousse
The "working hill", counterpart to Fourvière, the "praying hill", across the river, developed in the early 19th century on lands once belonging to religious communities. The slopes of Croix-Rousse hill are traditionally distinct from the plateau. The slopes are within the territory designated by UNESCO as a World Heritage site in 1998.
The steepness of the slopes had an impact on the way streets were built, either following the curve of the hill or striking straight up, with some portions of the road transformed into steps. The old zones with narrow streets between tall buildings criss-crossed by "traboule" covered passageways, stand in striking contrast to the modern areas. The Canuts (silk workers) occupied the buildings designed as live-in workshops with high ceilings to accommodate the bulky weaving looms and the new mechanical looms invented by Jacquard. They also feature many tall windows to bring in as much light as possible. North-south passages, the famous "traboules", were created to facilitate foot traffic.
Renovation work and urban planning have given the quarter a more lively atmosphere and improved cultural and economic vitality. Clothing wholesalers thrive on the lower slopes while on the plateau the Maison des Canuts carries on the memory and homage to the silk industry by handing-down its know-how to new generations.
Presqu’île peninsula
The Presqu’île (peninsula) is within the territory designated by UNESCO as a World Heritage site in 1998. The Presqu’île as we know it today is the result of a long evolution, the victory of the city over the unpredictable Rhone, as far as the tip of the confluence opposite La Mulatière, built in the 18th century. In ancient times, the Romans occupied the Presqu'île between the Ainay neighborhood and the bottom of the slopes of the Croix-Rousse. In the center of the Presqu'île, Rue Mercière was, in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, the heart of trading activities and printing. Small medieval streets and "traboules" (covered passageways) mark a contrast with the broad streets and spaces created during the reign of Napoleon III.
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