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10 Top Places to Visit In Lyon For Free

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User-submitted story by J'adore Lyon by Shopaholicfromhome
Thursday, July 9, 2015
Lyon For Free

Top 10 Places to Visit For Free In Lyon

Lyon is an amazing place to visit in France and be sure to get the proper and authentic French experience. I am lucky enough I have moved in here few months ago and I am loving it! I have never had any experience with French lifestyle and I haven't know anything about Lyon. So I started to explore it and I felt in love with the city and France. The only thing that is pretty difficult here in France is the cost of living and prices. In comparison to Poland its more expensive, So I put my savvy shopper mode on and started to explore Lyon on a budget. Well, even better I have found things you can do for FREE in Lyon and I would love to share them with you! Come over to France when you have a chance, you can do it within your tight budget. Check out my Top Free Things To do in Lyon and keep an eye on my blog: shopaholicfromhome.com where I share more recommendations on how you can discover France on a budget. Don't spend too much on saving money for your life trip, read & investigate cheap ways of travelling, pack and come over!

1.Visit the really amazing Parc de la Tete d'Or . It is a place you have to go in Lyon! It is a huge green par with the area of the 105 hectares. It is beautiful any time of the year and provide you with the wide range of the activities you can do there. Go for a walk to relax, read a book, have a picnic, take your kids, meet with friends. Whatever you decide to choose to do there, make sure you pop over to the impressive Botanic Garden of the Parc de la Tete d'Or. There is a special part of the park with flowers gardens and indoors botanic spaces to admire local and exotic plants. All for Free.
2.Visit Free Lyonnais Zoo. This is true! You go to the Parc de la Tete d'Or, follow the map (so you will not get lost!) and you visit the Zoo. Its also very impressive as you can meet all ranges of animals at there. You can sit on a bench and look at them freely walking in front of view. Obviously, some are locked such a lions and crocodiles...but I don't think you would wish to have them walking next to you? Other then that is a great experience to see the animals around and for Free!
3.Visit the Fourvière Hill for the amazing view and the mess at the the Basilique Notre Dame de Fourviere. I would recommend climbing up the hill, as much as it is tiring, it will give you a great feel of the achievement and the view which should be appreciated. Alternatively you can use the famous traditional and oldest metro called Faniculars which will take you up from the Vieux Lyon. This is unfortunately not for free but treated as a metro fare which you need to pay. Its less then 2 Euro and its free when you purchased one day transport ticket or Lyon City Card! When you are at the hill, make sure you admire the view, you visit the impressive church which reaches to a height of 130 meters above the Saone River and which represents the Gothic and Byzantine styles. You might want to have a look at the small park which surrounds the hill and for sure you will check out the Gallo-Roman theatre!
4.Visit the Gallo-Roman Museum and the Gallo-Roman theatre which is the most visible remains of this historical heritage. Lyon is believed to be founded on October 9, 43 B.C., by a Roman legate, on the Fourvière Hill. And the good thing I found out is that the museum is Free for everyone on Thursdays
5.Visit the famous Traboules of Lyon and learn about the silk history of Lyon. Start with the Vieux-Lyon district and carry on you started in the Old Lyon, you will continue in the Croix Rousse. Colline de la Croix-Rousse was an important centre of weaving in the early 19th-century. Follow the collection of 'traboules'. There is a Special Route you can take to discover all yourself and without the need to pay the guide.
6.Visit the old part of Lyon. For the amazing atmosphere, for the Lyonnais Cuisine experience, for a night life but also to discover the the historical heritage. The Vieux-Lyon district preserves the memory of the prosperous time of silk production. Visit small silk boutiques and souvenir shops, the famous boulangeries of Lyon, and find the specialities of Lyon in this area.
7.Visit the Confluence district, the modern part of Lyon located in between the Saône and Rhône. Lyon has been investing a lot in new and modern part which resulted with the Confluence area to become one of the most sustainable and exemplary districts in Europe. Have you heard about the Confluence Museum. It is really an impressive building and there are more stunning ones in the area. Go for a walk and a free view which you can get from the Confluence shopping centre terrace.
8.Visit top Lyonnais Parcs and have a Free picnic lunch on there.
*Parc de Gerland which is located at the end of the Rhône banks promenade
*Parc des Hauteurs which is based between the metal tower of Fourvière and the Loyasse cemetery
*St Jean archaeological garden, which you can find next to the St Jean cathedral
*Jardin Rosa Mir, which is located in the Croix-Rousse
* Jardin des Curiosités which is hidden at the bottom of a street/car park, behind a metallic door at the Passage des Hauts de St Just;
*Confluence Museum Park, the green space which has been open to public recently
*Garden of the Musée des Beaux Arts which is next to the The Place des Terreaux
9.Visit the impressive churches of Lyon. Starting with the Basilique Notre-Dame de Fourvière, carry on with Cathedral Saint Jean Baptiste which is located just at the bottom of the hill. Its beautiful and it has an interesting astronomical clock and a remarkable "Anne-Marie de la Primatiale" bell - the largest ever mad. Make sure you fo to the Abbaye Saint-Martin d'Ainay which is the oldest church in Lyon and the beautiful Saint-Georges which has the 7-bell electric carillon. There are many more to visit but just focus on the main Lyonnais churches as it is impossible to go to all. But what is good & important, all are free to enter!
10.Visit Marche de Creation; the Sunday market which attracts art lovers since 1979. Discover the Lyonnais Art for FREE. There are over 150 artists registered who represent different ranges of the paintings, photography, crafts, sculptures and engravings. Its impressive to walk through all those art pieces and have a chance to speak with the artist. Just remember its only on Sundays morning so opens on 9am and finishes after midday!

So I hope you found the list useful and treated it as a small introduction to the France on a budget! As I mentioned there is much more Lyon is all about, there is much more French lifestyle offers to you. Check out shopaholicfromhome.com to read more about it. Maybe you have some other experiences with France & Lyon? Share your feedback and .... Lest enjoy Lyon & France For Free! It is possible and highly recommend...Bonne Voyage!!!

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