Old Lyon Map Poster
45.7620° N, 4.8270° E
At the foot of the Fourvière hill, Old Lyon is the largest Renaissance district in France. Its cobbled lanes, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, conceal a secret network of traboules — passageways running through buildings that silk workers once used to transport their fabric. Gift a map poster capturing the medieval web of this one-of-a-kind neighborhood.
Key Streets & Landmarks
Saint-Jean Cathedral
Rue du Bœuf
Vieux Lyon Traboules
Place du Change
Did you know?
- 1
Old Lyon, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1998, is the largest Renaissance district in France with over 300 buildings from the 15th and 16th centuries.
- 2
Lyon's traboules are covered passageways running through buildings from one street to another. There are about 400 in the city, around 50 of which are open to the public in Old Lyon.
- 3
Saint-Jean-Baptiste Cathedral, built between 1180 and 1480, features a 14th-century astronomical clock that shows the date, Moon phases and Sun position.
Neighborhood Vibe
Old Lyon smells of warm stone and traditional bouchon cuisine. On Rue du Bœuf, ochre and pink facades lean over cobblestones worn by five centuries of footsteps. The traboules — secret passageways between inner courtyards — reveal an urbanism invisible on maps, a parallel network known only to insiders. Here, every dead end hides a Renaissance courtyard, and every bouchon a centuries-old recipe.
Discover on foot
Start at Place Saint-Jean in front of the cathedral and its astronomical clock. Take Rue du Boeuf and its traboules — push open the doors and discover hidden Renaissance courtyards with spiral staircases and galleries. Walk up Rue Saint-Jean, the main artery lined with artisan shops and traditional bouchon restaurants. Take the Saint-Just funicular up to Fourviere hill for the panoramic view of Lyon and the Alps. Descend through the Rosary Gardens. Old Lyon is a journey through time, every traboule revealing a hidden treasure.
Other Neighborhoods
Frequently asked questions
What is a traboule?
A traboule is a covered passageway that runs through one or more buildings to connect two streets. The word comes from the Latin 'trans ambulare' (to pass through). Lyon has about 400, inherited from silk workers who used them to transport silk sheltered from rain.
Where to eat at a real Lyonnaise bouchon in Old Lyon?
Authentic bouchons in Old Lyon include Daniel et Denise, Le Bouchon des Filles (Rue du Boeuf) and Chez Mounier (Rue des Marronniers). Look for the 'Bouchon Lyonnais' label guaranteeing traditional cuisine: quenelles, tablier de sapeur, cervelle de canut.
Why give an Old Lyon map poster as a gift?
Old Lyon offers a Renaissance lane plan unique in France, with traboules invisible on ordinary maps. A poster of this neighborhood reveals a secret urbanism and five centuries of history. It is an ideal gift for a Lyon, gastronomy or architecture lover.
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