Where to stay · Lyon · France
Where to stay in Lyon
8 neighbourhoods compared, with the trade-offs hotel listings don't tell you.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Corentin Eustacchi, CC BY-SA 4.0
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Quick answer
For a first visit, stay in Vieux Lyon. Renaissance lanes, traboules and bouchons beneath Fourvière hill. Best alternatives — families: Presqu'île (Bellecour and Cordeliers); budget: Part-Dieu; nightlife: Terreaux and the Pentes de la Croix-Rousse.
Key facts
- First visit
- Vieux Lyon
- Families
- Presqu'île (Bellecour and Cordeliers)
- Budget
- Part-Dieu
- Nightlife
- Terreaux and the Pentes de la Croix-Rousse
Best area for each kind of trip
| Trip type | Area | Why |
|---|---|---|
| First-timers | Vieux Lyon | Renaissance lanes, traboules and bouchons beneath Fourvière hill |
| Families | Presqu'île (Bellecour and Cordeliers) | Grand squares, shopping streets and river quays between the Rhône and Saône |
| Couples | Vieux Lyon | Renaissance lanes, traboules and bouchons beneath Fourvière hill |
| Budget | Part-Dieu | Business district around the main TGV station and shopping centre |
| Luxury | Brotteaux and the 6th arrondissement | Elegant Haussmann-style avenues next to the Parc de la Tête d'Or |
| Nightlife | Terreaux and the Pentes de la Croix-Rousse | City hall square, the fine-arts museum and steep lanes of bars and studios |
| Food lovers | Terreaux and the Pentes de la Croix-Rousse | City hall square, the fine-arts museum and steep lanes of bars and studios |
| Solo travellers | Terreaux and the Pentes de la Croix-Rousse | City hall square, the fine-arts museum and steep lanes of bars and studios |
| Shopping | Presqu'île (Bellecour and Cordeliers) | Grand squares, shopping streets and river quays between the Rhône and Saône |
| Quiet stays | Croix-Rousse plateau | Village-like hilltop of the silk weavers with a daily market |
Lyon neighbourhoods in detail
$$$ · Best for first-timers, couples and culture
Vieux Lyon
On the west bank of the Saône, the Saint-Jean, Saint-Paul and Saint-Georges quarters are a dense grid of 15th- and 16th-century houses with courtyards and spiral staircases, the cathedral and the funicular up to Fourvière. Hotels are small and characterful, and the area is busy with visitors by day.
- Good
- Historic atmosphere; Funicular to Fourvière on the doorstep; Riverside walks along the Saône
- Watch out
- Touristy restaurants on rue Saint-Jean; Cobbles and stairs, few lifts
- Nearby
- Lyon Cathedral, Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourvière, Musée Gadagne, Traboule
$$$ · Best for first-timers, shopping and families
Presqu'île (Bellecour and Cordeliers)
The peninsula between the two rivers is Lyon's commercial heart, from the vast Place Bellecour north along rue de la République to the Place des Cordeliers. It has the widest range of hotels, department stores and restaurants, and it is a short walk across the footbridges to Vieux Lyon.
- Good
- Central for everything; Metro and tram links; Plenty of restaurants
- Watch out
- Busy shopping streets; Less character than the old quarters
- Nearby
- Place Bellecour, Rue de la République, Place des Jacobins
$$ · Best for nightlife, food lovers, solo travellers and culture
Terreaux and the Pentes de la Croix-Rousse
Around the Place des Terreaux, with the Bartholdi fountain and the Hôtel de Ville, the Opéra and the Musée des Beaux-Arts, the 1st arrondissement climbs the Pentes (slopes) of the Croix-Rousse. The slopes are full of traboules, small bars, artists' workshops and independent restaurants.
- Good
- Lively bar and restaurant scene; Central with good character; Walk to Vieux Lyon
- Watch out
- Steep streets and stairs; Noisy at night around the bars
- Nearby
- Place des Terreaux, Museum of Fine Arts of Lyon, Opéra National de Lyon
$$ · Best for food lovers, quiet stays and couples
Croix-Rousse plateau
At the top of the hill, the Croix-Rousse plateau keeps the feel of a separate village, with the market along the boulevard de la Croix-Rousse, the giant Mur des Canuts mural and the tall-windowed buildings where silk was woven on Jacquard looms. Metro line C, a rack railway, connects it with the centre.
- Good
- Local, village atmosphere; Excellent market; Views over the Rhône
- Watch out
- Few hotels; Uphill from the centre
- Nearby
- La Croix-Rousse, Maison des Canuts, Gros Caillou viewpoint
$$$ · Best for families, luxury and quiet stays
Brotteaux and the 6th arrondissement
East of the Rhône, the 6th arrondissement is a well-heeled residential district of wide avenues, upscale shops and restaurants, with the Parc de la Tête d'Or and its free zoo at the northern end. It is calm, close to the Halles Paul Bocuse and a short walk across the Rhône bridges to the Presqu'île.
- Good
- Quiet and green; Next to Lyon's biggest park; Upmarket food shops
- Watch out
- Little nightlife; Farther from Vieux Lyon
- Nearby
- Parc de la Tête d'or, Les Brotteaux, Halles Paul Bocuse
$$ · Best for budget and first-timers
Part-Dieu
Part-Dieu is Lyon's modern business quarter, built around the main railway station, a large shopping centre and the Halles Paul Bocuse food market. Hotels are mostly chains aimed at business travellers, convenient for early trains and the Rhônexpress tram to the airport.
- Good
- Direct link to the airport and TGV; Many hotel options; Near the Halles market
- Watch out
- Concrete, office-district feel; 15–20 minutes by metro from the old town
- Nearby
- Halles Paul Bocuse, Part-Dieu station, Rhônexpress
$ · Best for budget, nightlife and solo travellers
Guillotière
Across the Pont de la Guillotière from the Presqu'île, this part of the 7th arrondissement is Lyon's most diverse area, with Asian supermarkets, Maghrebi bakeries, cheap restaurants and student bars. The riverside promenade and its barge bars are close by.
- Good
- Lower prices for food and rooms; Lively and diverse; Walk to the Presqu'île
- Watch out
- Some streets feel rough at night; Petty crime around Place Gabriel-Péri
- Nearby
- Berges du Rhône, Pont de la Guillotière, Place Bellecour
$$ · Best for families and shopping
Confluence
The southern tip of the Presqu'île, behind Perrache station, has been redeveloped with striking buildings such as the Orange Cube, a riverside promenade along the Saône, a shopping centre and the Musée des Confluences at the point where the two rivers meet.
- Good
- Modern hotels and apartments; Riverside walks and the museum; Tram links to the centre
- Watch out
- Quiet in the evenings; Lacks old-town atmosphere
- Nearby
- Musée des Confluences, Perrache station, Saône quays
Areas compared
| Area | Price | Nearby |
|---|---|---|
| Vieux Lyon | $$$ | Lyon Cathedral, Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourvière, Musée Gadagne, Traboule |
| Presqu'île (Bellecour and Cordeliers) | $$$ | Place Bellecour, Rue de la République, Place des Jacobins |
| Terreaux and the Pentes de la Croix-Rousse | $$ | Place des Terreaux, Museum of Fine Arts of Lyon, Opéra National de Lyon |
| Croix-Rousse plateau | $$ | La Croix-Rousse, Maison des Canuts, Gros Caillou viewpoint |
| Brotteaux and the 6th arrondissement | $$$ | Parc de la Tête d'or, Les Brotteaux, Halles Paul Bocuse |
| Part-Dieu | $$ | Halles Paul Bocuse, Part-Dieu station, Rhônexpress |
| Guillotière | $ | Berges du Rhône, Pont de la Guillotière, Place Bellecour |
| Confluence | $$ | Musée des Confluences, Perrache station, Saône quays |
Getting to your hotel
Lyon–Saint-Exupéry Airport is about 25 km east of the centre. The Rhônexpress tram reaches Part-Dieu in about 30 minutes; taxis take about 30–45 minutes depending on traffic. The airport also has its own TGV station.
Questions travellers ask
+What is the best area to stay in Lyon for first-time visitors?
Vieux Lyon. On the west bank of the Saône, the Saint-Jean, Saint-Paul and Saint-Georges quarters are a dense grid of 15th- and 16th-century houses with courtyards and spiral staircases, the cathedral and the funicular up to Fourvière.
+Where should families stay in Lyon?
Presqu'île (Bellecour and Cordeliers): Central for everything.
+Which area of Lyon is best for a budget stay?
Part-Dieu ($$): Business district around the main TGV station and shopping centre.