Finest Day Journeys from Lyon

Lyon sits at a crossroads between Burgundy, the Alps and the Rhône Valley, which makes it top-of-the-line bases in France for day journeys. Inside an hour or two you may stroll the cobbled lanes of a medieval village, swim in an Alpine lake, style Beaujolais within the vineyards or discover Roman ruins.

Fast reply: one of the best day journeys from Lyon are Pérouges (medieval village, underneath an hour), Annecy (lake and previous city, about two hours), the Beaujolais wine villages, Roman Vienne (20 to half-hour by prepare), Grenoble within the Alps and Beaune in Burgundy. Vienne, Grenoble, Annecy and Beaune are simple by prepare; Pérouges is doable by prepare with a stroll; the Beaujolais is greatest by automobile or on a tour.

Day Journeys from Lyon at a Look

Journey instances are approximate and rely upon the service and site visitors. Test present timetables on SNCF Join earlier than you go.

How you can Do Day Journeys from Lyon

• Stations: most regional (TER) and high-speed trains depart from Lyon Half-Dieu; some additionally cease at Lyon Perrache, which might be nearer if you’re staying on the Presqu’île or in Vieux Lyon. Test which station your prepare makes use of.
• Tickets: TER tickets are often versatile and don’t want advance reserving, whereas TGV fares rise nearer to departure. Regional low cost playing cards and weekend affords could make TER journey cheaper.
• Automotive: a automobile is price it for the Beaujolais and rural Burgundy. Keep away from leaving Lyon at rush hour, and look ahead to summer time weekend site visitors towards the Alps.
• Excursions: organized wine excursions to the Beaujolais and Burgundy are a very good choice if you wish to style with out driving.

Pérouges

Pérouges is a superbly preserved medieval village on a hilltop northeast of Lyon, ranked among the many Most Lovely Villages of France. Its partitions enclose cobbled lanes, half-timbered and stone homes and the Place du Tilleul, a sq. shaded by a big lime tree. The village has typically been used as a movie set for historic dramas.

• Attempt the galette de Pérouges, a skinny, sugary tart offered heat within the village’s cafés and bakeries.
• The village is small: two or three hours is sufficient, so it combines properly with the Dombes lakes and the Parc des Oiseaux fowl park at Villars-les-Dombes when you’ve got a automobile.
• By prepare: take a TER to Meximieux-Pérouges station, then stroll about 1.5 km uphill to the village. By automobile: park within the tons under the partitions; the village itself is pedestrian.

Vienne

Simply south of Lyon on the Rhône, Vienne was an vital Roman metropolis, and it’s the best day journey from Lyon by prepare. The highlights are the Temple of Augustus and Livia, one of many best-preserved Roman temples in France, standing in the midst of a city sq., and the massive Roman theater on the hillside, which hosts the Jazz à Vienne competition in early summer time.

• Throughout the river, the Gallo-Roman museum and archaeological website at Saint-Romain-en-Gal shows mosaics and stays of homes and baths.
• Don’t miss Saint-Maurice Cathedral and the Pyramid, a monument that after stood within the Roman circus.
• Vienne can also be recognized for its Saturday market, one of many largest within the area.
• Half a day is sufficient for the primary sights; a full day enables you to add the museum and a riverside stroll.

Beaujolais Villages

North of Lyon, the Beaujolais is a rolling panorama of vineyards and villages, and it divides into two very totally different elements.

• Pierres Dorées (southern Beaujolais): villages constructed of golden limestone, resembling Oingt, Theizé and Ternand, typically in comparison with Tuscany. Oingt is among the Most Lovely Villages of France.
• The Crus (northern Beaujolais): the ten cru villages, together with Fleurie, Morgon, Moulin-à-Vent and Juliénas, produce the area’s greatest Gamay wines. Many wineries welcome guests, however guide forward, particularly on weekends.
• Getting there: trains run to Villefranche-sur-Saône, the Beaujolais capital, in about half-hour, however you want a automobile, a motorcycle or a tour to achieve the villages. By no means drink and drive; French limits are strict.
• When to go: the grape harvest in September is vigorous, and Beaujolais Nouveau is launched on the third Thursday of November.

Annecy

Annecy is the most well-liked lengthy day journey from Lyon. Its previous city is crossed by canals, the Palais de l’Isle sits in the midst of the Thiou river, and Lake Annecy, framed by mountains, is legendary for its clear water. In summer time you may swim on the lakeside seashores, lease a motorcycle on the lake path or take a ship journey.

Two hours every manner is an extended day, so begin early, or contemplate an in a single day keep. For extra element, see our guides to issues to do in Annecy and whether or not Annecy is price visiting.

Grenoble

Grenoble, the capital of the French Alps, is surrounded by mountains on three sides. Experience the Bastille cable automobile, with its bubble-shaped cabins, as much as the fort for vast views of the town and, on a transparent day, the Alps. Again on the town, the Musée de Grenoble has a serious assortment of high-quality artwork, and the previous city round Place Grenette and Place Saint-André is vigorous. It’s a straightforward prepare journey and a very good choice on a transparent day. Learn extra in our Grenoble journey information.

Burgundy: Beaune

Beaune is the wine capital of Burgundy and a pleasing city to discover on foot. Its centerpiece is the Hospices de Beaune (Hôtel-Dieu), a Fifteenth-century hospital with a stunning roof of glazed, multicolored tiles. Round city, wine retailers and cellars supply tastings, and the Côte de Beaune villages resembling Pommard, Volnay and Meursault are shut by.

Trains attain Beaune in about two hours, typically with a change, so it’s a full day. With a automobile, you may drive a part of the Route des Grands Crus. Our wine information to Burgundy explains the appellations and the best way to plan tastings.

Extra Concepts

• Aix-les-Bains and Lac du Bourget: France’s largest pure lake, with a spa city on its shore, about 1 h 30 by prepare.
• Cluny: the stays of what was as soon as the biggest church in Christendom, in southern Burgundy; best by automobile.
• Bourg-en-Bresse: the Royal Monastery of Brou, a masterpiece of late Gothic artwork, and the house of Bresse rooster.
• Chambéry: the historic capital of Savoy, with its château and elephant fountain.

Which Day Journey Ought to You Select?

• Solely half a day: Vienne, or Pérouges when you’ve got a automobile.
• First-time guests who desire a postcard scene: Annecy, ideally in late spring or early autumn when the lake is much less crowded.
• Wine lovers: the Beaujolais crus for a relaxed, reasonably priced tasting day; Beaune for Burgundy’s well-known names.
• Historical past buffs: Vienne for Roman stays, Pérouges and Cluny for the Center Ages.
• Mountain views with out mountain climbing: Grenoble and the Bastille cable automobile.
• Wet day: Grenoble’s museums or Beaune’s Hospices and wine cellars, that are principally indoors.

No matter you select, examine opening days earlier than you go: many smaller museums and a few wineries shut on Mondays or Tuesdays, and village eating places typically serve lunch solely between about midday and a couple of pm.

Getting There by Practice vs Automotive

In case you are staying in Lyon for a number of days, a wise plan is to make use of trains for metropolis day journeys and lease a automobile for someday to discover the Beaujolais or Burgundy wine villages. Heading to the southwest too? Our information to the greatest day journeys from Bordeaux covers Saint-Émilion, the Médoc and the Atlantic coast. For extra on the town itself, see our issues to do in Lyon and our Lyon journey information.

Abstract

Lyon is a wonderful base for day journeys. Select Vienne for a fast and straightforward half day, Pérouges for a medieval village, the Beaujolais or Beaune for wine, Grenoble for mountain views and Annecy for the lake. Most are simple by prepare, however a automobile makes the wine areas way more rewarding.