Journey in Lyon | Yampu Tours

Custom Travel Experiences Since 1998

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Journey in Lyon

PRIVATE/GROUP TOUR - 5 DAY SAMPLE ITINERARY

Private/Group Tour Highlights

  • Panoramic tour of Lyon, including Basilique Notre-Dame de Fourvière.
  • Walking tour of "Vieux Lyon" district with visits to St. John’s Cathedral and traboules.
  • Culinary adventure at Halles Paul Bocuse market with tastings of regional specialties.
  • Guided e-bike tour exploring Lyon's modern districts and hidden gems.
  • Exploration of Croix Rousse hill and Maison des Canuts for insights into Lyon's silk industry.
  • Lunch at a traditional "bouchon lyonnais" and visit to Atelier de Soierie for silk painting techniques.
  • Scenic boat trip on the Saône river offering panoramic views of Lyon's landmarks.
  • Discovering the medieval village of Oingt and wine tasting at a family-run winery in Beaujolais.
Interested in this tour?   Let us build you a customized quote based on your budget.

Tour Overview

Experience the allure of Lyon, where history intertwines with gastronomy and culture, on this enriching five-day journey. Begin with a panoramic tour showcasing Lyon’s iconic landmarks, including the Basilique Notre-Dame de Fourvière. Dive into culinary delights as you explore the historic “Vieux Lyon” district and indulge in tastings at the renowned Halles Paul Bocuse market. Trace the footsteps of silk weavers in Lyon’s silk heritage at the Maison des Canuts and marvel at painted walls. Venture into the picturesque Beaujolais region, where medieval villages and family-run wineries await. Whether savoring local delicacies, admiring panoramic views, or uncovering Lyon’s hidden gems, this tour promises an unforgettable exploration of one of France’s most captivating cities.

Inclusions
- Transport services and transfers during your stay, as outlined in the program
- City taxes
- Entrance fees to visited sites, as per the program
- Food/wine tastings as specified in the program
Exclusions

- All meals and beverages, except for breakfasts and included tastings
- Luggage porterage services
- Personal expenses and tips
- Any other services not explicitly mentioned in the included section
- Insurances

Best Time to Travel
JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN
JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC

Best Good Consult

Trip Type:

All our trips are operated on a private basis unless specified otherwise. This is only a sample itinerary; your Yampu Tour Consultant will personalize this trip for you according to your available dates, interests and type of hotels. This is your trip and we will work on making it perfect!

Tour Itinerary

Day
1

Welcome to Lyon

Arrival read more...

Arrival at Lyon Saint Exupéry Airport.

Where you will be met by your local English-speaking assistant and driver for transfer to Lyon city center. Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant before meeting your guide for a panoramic tour of the city aboard a Grand Tourisme coach.

Drive up to the Basilique Notre-Dame de Fourvière to admire this iconic symbol of the city and take in the panoramic view of Lyon. On a clear day, you might even catch a glimpse of Mont Blanc on the horizon! Lyon's historic site has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site since December 1998.

During the tour, you will pass through the city's landmarks, including Place Bellecour, Place des Terreaux with its impressive Bartholdi fountain, the quays of the Rhône and Saône rivers, and the Presqu'île district.

Conclude the tour with a transfer to the hotel and check-in to your rooms. Enjoy free time for dinner and an overnight stay. ...read less

Day
2

Lyon Food & E-Bike Tours

In the morning, depart from your hotel with your guide for a walking tour of the "Vieux Lyon,"

The medieval and Renaissance district of the town. Traverse 2000 years of history, beginning at St. John’s Cathedral, and delight in meandering through narrow streets, passing from inner courtyards to the famous "traboules" (secret corridors between streets), allowing yourself to be charmed by secrets and fascinating stories.

Continue to the "Halles Paul Bocuse," Lyon’s covered market, and immerse yourself in the heart of Lyon’s gastronomy during a delicious food tour (2 hours)! Accompanied by our enthusiastic local guides (1 guide for a maximum of 12 participants), discover this not-to-be-missed place, with its history, workings, secrets, and, of course, the emblematic products from the greatest houses that have made Lyon's gastronomy famous. Choose 2 tastings from:

- Assorted regional charcuterie with a glass of red wine
- Assorted regional cheeses with a glass of white wine
- Praline pie
- Quenelles in Nantua sauce
- Chocolates and macarons

Then, pause for a 2-course lunch in a local restaurant with wine & coffee.

In the afternoon, enjoy a 2-hour digestif activity as you discover Lyon during a guided e-bike tour! Embark on an e-bike adventure for a light-hearted, friendly tour, perhaps exploring the modern and eco-friendly Confluence district. Accompanied by our enthusiastic local guides, you'll explore the city through numerous unusual stories. From the location of your choice, we'll craft a safe itinerary tailored to your needs (1 guide for a maximum of 12 participants).

Transfer to the hotel. Enjoy free time for dinner and an overnight stay. ...read less

Day
3

Lyon & Silk

Meet your guide today to discover the Croix Rousse hill and appreciate this famous "village district" and its painted walls, following in the footsteps of the silk weavers, the "canuts."

Enter the "Maison des Canuts" and experience a special guided tour: receive explanations about the technical, social, and creative influence of Lyon's silk industry over the past five centuries, with a demonstration of weaving on Jacquard hand looms.

Then walk down to the city center via the famous Croix Rousse slopes and traboules. Lunch in a typical "bouchon lyonnais." After lunch, visit the workshop "Atelier de Soierie" to understand the techniques of silk painting. This family factory invites you to discover the 130-year history of a great Lyonnais family, the Brochier, which found its vocation in the silk industry in 1890: four generations, nine Brochier family members, and several hundred thousand meters of silk woven and printed for the greatest names of the century in haute couture and art.

To round off the day, take a 1-hour commented boat trip on the Saône river to see Lyon from a different angle. Each tour is a captivating journey through Lyon's history. Admire the Renaissance district and Old Lyon, be surprised by the bold architecture of Confluence, or escape to Ile Barbe, a green oasis at the gateway to the city.

Transfer to the hotel. Enjoy free time for dinner and an overnight stay. ...read less

Day
4

Beaujolais

Depart with your guide and coach to discover the southern part of Beaujolais.

Also known as the Pays des Pierres Dorées or "Little Tuscany". Southern Beaujolais is a luminous land, remarkable for its villages built of yellow ochre stone that play with the reflections of the sun. Guided tour of the medieval village of Oingt, built entirely of golden stone and classified as one of the "Most Beautiful Villages in France", perched on a spur overlooking the Azergues valley, which links the magnificent villages of the Pays des Pierres Dorées.

Afterwards, visit a family-run winery. Welcome to the vineyard and explanation of the region and history of the estate. Learn about the cultivation and typicality of the Beaujolais cru terroir. Then discover the cellar and taste the winemaker's finest cuvées.

Lunch in a local restaurant. After lunch, drive back to Lyon through some of the villages of the Beaujolais crus (Chiroubles, Morgon, Brouilly...), passing through typical vineyard landscapes. Stops to admire panoramic views of the hillsides and, weather permitting, even Mont Blanc.

Transfer to the hotel. Enjoy free time for dinner and an overnight stay.

OPTIONAL (with supplement) :

Prestigious pairing lunch or dinner with local cheeses & great wines with a cheese specialist and a sommelier in a private cellar in Lyon

- 4 exceptional cheeses & wine pairings
- Top-of-the-range local cheeses (Truffé, grand affinage, ...)
- Wines from prestigious appellations
- 1 wine aroma recognition animation blind tasting
- 1 sweet Toqués cheese & chocolate pairing Regional charcuterie platters

OR

A gourmet & fun quiz workshop to discover the magic of cheese & wine pairing with a cheese specialist and a sommelier in a private cellar in Lyon.

- 1 cheese & white wine or welcome beer pairing
- 3 amazing cheeses & food pairings (red wine, homemade jams, sweet white wine, etc)
- 2 cheese-related activities (blind flavour recognition + Terroir Quiz)
- 1 sweet pairing (cheese & chocolate )
- Platters of regional charcuterie
- 1 gift for the winner of the quiz! ...read less

Day
5

International Flight Home

According to your flight schedule, transfer to Lyon airport for your international flight home.

According to your flight schedule, transfer to Lyon airport for your international flight home.

Lyon, France

Beaujolais, France

Croix-Rousse, Lyon, France

Basilique Notre-Dame de Fourvière, Place de Fourvière, Lyon, France

Places You'll See

  • Lyon

    Situated in east-central France, Lyon is renowned for its rich history, vibrant culinary scene, and UNESCO-listed Old Town. As the gastronomic capital of France, Lyon boasts numerous Michelin-starred restaurants, traditional bouchons (local eateries), and bustling food markets. The city’s architectural landmarks include the ancient Roman amphitheater, Gothic cathedrals, and Renaissance-era traboules (hidden passageways). Lyon also serves as a hub for culture, with its acclaimed museums, theaters, and annual festivals celebrating music, film, and lights. 

Hotel Options

Testimonials

Jonathan C.

Traveled October 2021

The best guides, the best experiences, and the best service in every country

My wife and I have used Yampu 4 or 5 times now to plan our travel for us. They have access to the best guides, the best experiences, and the best service in every country we’ve used them to visit – from Portugal to Cambodia and from Peru to Iceland. This most recent trip to Iceland was perfect. Two days in Reykjavik, where we did a walking tour of the city, a food tour, the Fly Over Iceland experience, and some shopping and relaxing. Then 2 nights at the Retreat Spa – which is a very special experience in itself that is hard to describe – and then two nights in the countryside where our private guide took us to all of the main attractions on the Golden Circle and South Coast. Private guides mean no waiting, front row parking and VIP access everywhere, and wonderful knowledgeable guides without a lot of time herding on and off of buses and going places that may not interest you. It is a bit more expensive, although not as much as you might think, often less than a high end group tour — without the group. Yampu has planned each trip just for us, exactly what we want to do, and not anything we don’t – and it has always worked out great – highly recommend.

Traveled To

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