Lyon: Vieux Lyon Walking Tour & Hidden Traboules with Guide

The Traboules of Vieux Lyon: Secret Passages & Silk Stories

You walk through Vieux Lyon's hidden traboules with an English-speaking guide, visit the cathedral's astronomical clock, explore the silk heritage with a working loom, and see the Palace of Justice where Klaus Barbie was tried. The tour includes the Théâtre des Célestins and Hôtel Dieu, and covers the Renaissance architecture and WWII resistance history woven into the old town's streets. All fees are included. The pace suits most fitness levels.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each5 stops

1. Lyon CathedralEntry included15m
2. Traboules of LyonEntry included15m
3. Miniature and Cinema Museum10m
4. Lyon Palace of Justicepassing by
5. Célestins TheatreEntry included10m

Explore Vieux Lyon's history and culture

• Visit Lyon Cathedral and clock
• Explore hidden traboules passageways
• See miniatures in museum courtyard
• View La Tour Rose architecture
• Observe live silkworms in silk shop
• Pass by Lyon Palace of Justice
• See Célestins Theatre façade and artwork
• Walk along main shopping street
• Visit Hôtel Dieu complex

The experience

You're standing on a narrow cobblestone street in Vieux Lyon and your guide Paul points to what looks like an ordinary doorway. He pushes it open and suddenly you're walking through a hidden passageway, a traboule, that cuts straight through the building and spills out onto another street entirely. These aren't marked on any tourist map. They were built centuries ago by silk merchants who needed to move goods and themselves between workshops without being seen, and most visitors to Lyon never know they exist. On this walking tour, you'll slip through several of them, and each one opens onto a different piece of the city's story.

The tour moves at a steady pace through the old town, starting with the cathedral and its astronomical clock, then threading through the Renaissance architecture that makes Vieux Lyon feel like you've stepped backward in time. Paul talks about the silk industry that once made Lyon wealthy. You'll see a working silk shop where silkworms are kept during the season, and there's a model jacquard loom that shows how the intricate patterns were actually woven. He doesn't shy away from the harder history either. You'll stand in front of the Palace of Justice, where Klaus Barbie's trial took place, and hear about the resistance fighters who worked in these same streets during World War II. It's not sanitized. It's the real weight of what happened here.

Along the way you pass La Tour Rose, the iconic rose-colored tower that's become the symbol of Vieux Lyon, and you'll see the façade of the Théâtre des Célestins. There's a modern art installation hidden underneath the theatre square that Paul will show you if there's time. The tour also takes in the main shopping street and the Hôtel Dieu, an old hospital that's been transformed into a shopping center and food court: a strange collision of medieval and modern that somehow works. The whole thing takes a few hours on foot, and the route is manageable for most people, though you're covering ground and there are some uneven cobblestones.

What makes this different from wandering on your own is that Paul knows which doors open and which don't, which stories are worth the detour, and how to move through the narrow streets without getting lost in the tangle of them. He's the person who knows the traboules. The thing that makes Vieux Lyon actually make sense.

What’s included

Your tour includes all fees and taxes, the services of English-speaking guide Paul, access to the hidden traboules of Vieux Lyon, visits to the cathedral, silk shop with working loom, Miniature and Cinema Museum courtyard, La Tour Rose, Palace of Justice, Théâtre des Célestins, and the Hôtel Dieu. Public transportation is available nearby if you need it.

Before you book

Lasts 2h, runs Monday, Thursday and Saturday at 10:00, from € 5 per person, with a live guide in English and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesMonday, Thursday and SaturdayDeparts at 10:00

Book up toStart time

AgesAdult (18 and older) · Child (5 to 17 years): free · Infant (1 to 4 years): free

GroupUp to 18 · max 5 per booking

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends at a different place from where it starts.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 10 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Free Tour Lyon

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to understand Vieux Lyon's layout and history without navigating the traboules alone or missing the stories that connect the silk trade, Renaissance architecture, and WWII resistance. The guide's knowledge is what turns a walk through old streets into a coherent narrative.

Traveler reviews

4.93★★★★★★★★★★

1,053 verified traveler reviews

5 ★1,004

4 ★38

3 ★3

2 ★6

1 ★2

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (5 to 17 years): free; Infant (1 to 4 years): free.

What are traboules?

Traboules are hidden passageways that run through buildings in Vieux Lyon. They were built by silk merchants centuries ago to move goods and people between workshops without being seen on the street.

What's included in the tour price?

All fees and taxes are included. The tour covers entry to the attractions visited and the services of your guide, Paul.

Will we see the silk production?

Yes. You'll visit a working silk shop where silkworms are kept during the season, and you'll see a model jacquard loom that demonstrates how silk patterns were woven.

Does the tour cover World War II history?

Yes. Paul discusses Lyon's role in the resistance and the trial of Klaus Barbie, which took place at the Palace of Justice: one of the stops on the tour.

Is a guide necessary, or can I do this on my own?

You can explore Vieux Lyon independently, but the guide knows which traboules are accessible, the stories behind each street, and how to navigate the old town efficiently without getting lost.

Are service animals allowed?

Yes, service animals are allowed on the tour.