A daytime loop, not the official lights route
This walk is not the official route of the illuminations. It is a way to discover the city by day, before the evening shows: Bellecour, Le Petit Musée du Vin in Guillotière, a short stretch of the Rhône banks heading north, Pont Wilson, the Presqu’île, then Saint-Paul and Saint-Jean.
About 5 km and 1 h 10 min of walking without stops, measured with a pedestrian routing engine (OpenStreetMap data). Add about an hour for the museum visit, plus breaks and lunch.-
Place Bellecour
The starting point: a central landmark that is easy to reach, from where you cross the Rhône over Pont de la Guillotière.
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Le Petit Musée du Vin, 3 rue Passet Our place
In vaulted cellars in Guillotière, four spaces on the vine, terroir, winemaking and aromas, followed by an accompanied tasting of 8 wines. Allow about an hour; booking recommended.
Special opening on Monday 7 and Tuesday 8 December 2026, 11:00 am – 7:00 pm (last entry 5:30 pm).
The cellars are reached by a spiral staircase only: the museum is not accessible to visitors with reduced mobility or wheelchair users.
Museum hours during the festival -
Rhône banks, Guillotière side
Leaving the museum, reach the river right nearby, level with Place Raspail and Pont de la Guillotière. Do not head south: follow the promenade a short way north.
The way down to the promenade is by ramps or steps. To stay at street level, walk along Quai Victor-Augagneur just above.
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Pont Wilson
Climb back to bridge level by an open pedestrian access, then cross the Rhône into the Presqu’île.
Pick the access that suits you on the spot, steps or ramp: the lower quays can be closed, for example when the river is high.
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Place des Jacobins
An elegant square around its fountain, in the heart of the Presqu’île. Look up at the facades before heading north.
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Place des Terreaux
Town Hall, the Bartholdi fountain and the front of the Musée des Beaux-Arts. If the museum is open when you pass, its inner courtyard is worth a stop.
Shortcut: you can end the loop here, metro A or C, Hôtel de Ville stop.
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Saint-Paul
Cross the Saône on a footbridge open to pedestrians and enter Vieux Lyon through its northern quarter of old facades.
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Saint-Jean
Renaissance streets and Saint-Jean cathedral. Stick to public streets: not every traboule is open to visitors.
Another shortcut: metro D from Vieux Lyon, one stop to Bellecour.
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Back to Place Bellecour
Cross the Saône again, for example at Pont Bonaparte, then walk back to Bellecour.
In the evening, security checks and footbridge closures change with the illumination hours: check the official information on the day.
Shorten or adapt the loop
- Stop at Terreaux: metro A or C, Hôtel de Ville stop.
- Stop at Saint-Jean: metro D from Vieux Lyon, one stop to Bellecour.
- Avoid the quayside steps: stay on Quai Victor-Augagneur at street level as far as Pont Wilson. The loop includes cobbles, steps and ramps: it is not presented as accessible for visitors with reduced mobility.
In the evening, change pace
Security checks and footbridge closures change with the illumination hours. Check the official travel information on the day, and after a tasting, walk or use public transport.
Fancy a break? Book your visit to Le Petit Musée du Vin and enjoy some time in the warm before exploring more of Lyon.