Day trips · Lyon · France
6 best day trips from Lyon
Where to go when you want a day away from Lyon, and how long it really takes.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Elwood j blues, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
The classic day trip from Lyon is Pérouges (About 35 minutes by train, then a 30-minute walk). The closest option is Vienne, about 30 km away.
Key facts
- Day trips in this guide
- 6
- Closest
- Vienne (30 km)
- Most popular
- Pérouges
Day trips compared
| Destination | Distance | Travel time | How | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pérouges | 35 km | About 35 minutes by train, then a 30-minute walk | Regional train from Part-Dieu to Meximieux-Pérouges | Couples, Culture, Quiet stays |
| Vienne | 30 km | About 20–30 minutes by train | Regional train from Part-Dieu or Perrache | Culture, Families |
| Beaujolais villages | 40 km | About 45 minutes by car | Car or organised tour; train to Villefranche-sur-Saône covers part of the way | Couples, Food lovers |
| Annecy | 140 km | About 2 hours by train | Regional train from Part-Dieu, often direct | Couples, Families, First-timers |
| Parc des Oiseaux | 40 km | About 45 minutes by train | Regional train to Villars-les-Dombes | Families |
| Beaune | 160 km | About 1 hour 45 minutes by train | Regional train via Dijon or direct services | Food lovers, Couples, Culture |
The day trips
35 km · About 35 minutes by train, then a 30-minute walk
1.Pérouges
A small walled medieval village on a hilltop, with cobbled lanes, half-timbered houses and a central square shaded by a lime tree. Try the galette de Pérouges, a thin sugared tart sold in the village.
- Getting there
- Regional train from Part-Dieu to Meximieux-Pérouges
- Best for
- Couples, Culture, Quiet stays
30 km · About 20–30 minutes by train
2.Vienne
A Roman town on the Rhône with the Temple of Augustus and Livia, a large Roman theatre on the hillside and a Gothic cathedral. Its theatre hosts the Jazz à Vienne festival in summer.
- Getting there
- Regional train from Part-Dieu or Perrache
- Best for
- Culture, Families
40 km · About 45 minutes by car
3.Beaujolais villages
Rolling vineyards dotted with golden-stone villages such as Oingt, plus wine cellars where you can taste the Beaujolais crus. It is best explored by car or with a guided tour.
- Getting there
- Car or organised tour; train to Villefranche-sur-Saône covers part of the way
- Best for
- Couples, Food lovers
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140 km · About 2 hours by train
4.Annecy
An Alpine lakeside town with canals running through its old town, the Palais de l'Isle prison on an island and swimming and boating on clear Lake Annecy.
- Getting there
- Regional train from Part-Dieu, often direct
- Best for
- Couples, Families, First-timers
40 km · About 45 minutes by train
5.Parc des Oiseaux
A large bird park in the Dombes lake district, with aviaries, walk-through habitats and flying displays of birds of prey and parrots, open from spring to autumn.
- Getting there
- Regional train to Villars-les-Dombes
- Best for
- Families
160 km · About 1 hour 45 minutes by train
6.Beaune
The wine capital of Burgundy is known for the Hospices de Beaune, a 15th-century hospital with a glazed-tile roof, and for wine cellars beneath the old town.
- Getting there
- Regional train via Dijon or direct services
- Best for
- Food lovers, Couples, Culture
Day-trip tips
- Leave early: most trips are more relaxed with a morning departure and a return before dinner.
- For trips over about 150 km, an overnight stay or an organised tour saves a lot of travelling.
Questions travellers ask
+What is the best day trip from Lyon?
Pérouges. A small walled medieval village on a hilltop, with cobbled lanes, half-timbered houses and a central square shaded by a lime tree.
+How long does it take to get from Lyon to Pérouges?
About 35 minutes by train, then a 30-minute walk — Regional train from Part-Dieu to Meximieux-Pérouges, about 35 km.
+How long does it take to get from Lyon to Vienne?
About 20–30 minutes by train — Regional train from Part-Dieu or Perrache, about 30 km.