Must-see attractions in Lyon & the Rhône Valley

This unique complex about 7km northeast of Vallon-Pont-d'Arc takes you on an incredible journey back in time. The biggest replica cave in the world, it…

Death by chocolate! On the main road in Tain l'Hermitage, the Cité du Chocolat is a chocoholic's dream come true. This vast complex run by famous…

This eye-catching building, designed by the Viennese firm Coop Himmelb(l)au, is the crowning glory of Lyon's newest neighbourhood, the Confluence, at…

This stunning and eminently manageable museum showcases France's finest collection of sculptures and paintings outside of Paris, from antiquity onwards…

Spanning the Ardèche Gorge, this striking natural bridge is a must-see when visiting the area. Located 5km south of Vallon-Pont-d'Arc, this 54m-high arch…

An old industrial mining site that was once the lifeblood of St-Étienne has been transformed into a fascinating exhibition complex. On a 75-minute guided…

Across the Rhône from Vienne, the Musée Gallo-Romain highlights Vienne's historical importance, displaying several rooms full of dazzling mosaics and…

Crowning the hill, with stunning city panoramas from its terrace, this superb example of late-19th-century French ecclesiastical architecture is lined…

Though it's located 3km south of the centre, Arnaud Soubeyran is the best place to discover the Montélimar nougat connection. An intriguing multimedia…

Lyon's race toward the future is personified in this reborn industrial district near the southern tip of Presqu'île. Once a landscape of empty warehouses…

Lyon's partly Romanesque cathedral was built between the late 11th and early 16th centuries. The portals of its Flamboyant Gothic facade, completed in…

Housed in a 16th-century mansion built for two rich Florentine bankers, this twin-themed exhibition space incorporates an excellent local history museum,…

The centrepiece of the Presqu'île's beautiful central square is a 19th-century fountain made of 21 tonnes of lead and sculpted by Frédéric-Auguste…

In the mood for a rural escape? Make a beeline for the Parc Naturel Régional du Pilat, which spills across 650 sq km between Lyon and St-Étienne. A haven…

Lyon's neoclassical 1831-built opera house was modernised in 1993 by renowned French architect Jean Nouvel, who added the striking semi-cylindrical glass…

This great museum adjoining the cathedral offers a comprehensive and well-organised collection of art and archaeology from the Rhône Valley. Of particular…

If you're museumed out, head to this lovely space north of the centre, which provides a green haven for nature lovers and families. Spanning 117 hectares,…

The country’s second-largest Art Moderne museum after Paris’ Centre Pompidou, this museum features an exceptional collection of 20th-century and…

The WWII headquarters of Gestapo commander Klaus Barbie evokes Lyon's role as the 'Capital of the Resistance' through moving multimedia exhibits. The…

Set on a converted railway line, this new greenway runs for 15km between Beaujeu and Belleville. It's paved and mostly flat, making it ideal for cycling,…