Lyon has come a long way. In the 1960s, Mayor Louis Pradel wanted to destroy the Old Lyon district to pour concrete along the Saône. André Malraux, Minister of Culture at the time, made Old Lyon the first "protected area" in France, before UNESCO declared it a World Heritage Site, preserving and promoting a site that today sees millions of visitors admire its colourful facades. Thanks to its architectural heritage and its "headliners" - with gastronomy at the forefront - Lyon has become an ideal destination for tourists looking for a "City Break". A metropolitan city that has been focusing on tourism for several years now with its "Only Lyon" brand, improving its welcome, its signage, its offers of visits and even its accessibility for all audiences, until it won the Access City Award 2018. And yet, Lyon almost saw the disappearance of another of its jewels with the closure announced in 2017 of the Musée des tissus et des Arts décoratifs. This time, it was the Auvergne Rhône-Alpes region, with the support of the State, that saved this museum, which is part of the history of a city to be visited along the silk line.

Silk Capital

Lyon is a metropolis that visitors can see at a glance. To do this, simply climb up to Fourvière by the funicular and, after a visit to the immaculate basilica built by Bossan at the end of the 19th century, go to the belvedere that dominates the city. This is where the visit of Lyon begins, a stone's throw from the ancient site of Fourvière, by imagining the merchants from the East and their carts loaded with precious yarns and silky fabrics. As the last stop on the Silk Roads in the Middle Ages, Lyon owes much of its fame to weavers. Those who will be called the Canuts who, through their hard work, know-how and social struggles, have left their mark on the history of the city and our country. From Fourvière, visitors can walk directly down into Old Lyon, from a basilica to a primatial. Saint-Jean, a remarkable cathedral, is the centre of this pedestrian district, with its eyes up in the air towards the mullioned windows. It is in this "narrow" district, caught in a vice between the hill and the Saône, teeming with life and shops, that the people of Lyon began to weave silk in the 16th century. And while some say that the traboules, covered passages used to pass from one street to another through buildings, were built to allow weavers to move around the city without wetting the fragile silk, their construction is actually earlier and essentially due to lack of space. To learn everything about the history of Lyon and discover part of the silk adventure, you should visit the Gadagne museums in Old Lyon. The very rich collections of these museums house more than 80,000 works and objects, including many pieces of silk and a loom.

In the footsteps of the Canuts

To see looms in action, you have to go up by another funicular in the "fief" of the Canuts, the weavers, on the Croix-Rousse plateau. Direction the Canuts house where, thanks to passionate and exciting guides, we will learn everything about life, working conditions and the struggles of the Canuts. Guided tours and demonstration of weaving on hand loom. To hear the famous "bistanclaque-pan" of these ingenious machines, the association soierie Vivante organizes visits to the last workshops of Canuts de la Croix-rousse.

The Museum of Tissues

The 19th century marked the golden age of silk weaving in Lyon, a city with up to 100,000 looms operating in a hellish noise. It was during this period that the Lyon Chamber of Commerce created its first museum of art and industry at the Palais de la Bourse in the heart of the Presqu'île. The important collections of this museum, which had meanwhile become the museum of fabrics, were moved after the Second World War to the Hôtel de Villeroy, on the other side of Place Bellecour in the Ainay district. Collections that not only trace Lyon's history - which will be on display until the end of 2018 in the temporary exhibition "Le Génie de la Fabrique" - but also more than 4,500 years of textile history around the world. Located in an admirable 18th century building, a true haven of peace in the centre of the city, fully equipped with a current museum itinerary, these are two museums - the Museum of Fabrics and the Museum of Decorative Arts - in the same place that open their doors to the curious.

Exceptional collections

With nearly 2,500,000 works, the Musée des tissus presents the world's largest collection of textiles with exceptional pieces. The visit takes us on a journey through time and space. It all begins with the discovery of Egyptian and Coptic fabrics. Then, visitors head east with the wonderful Byzantine silks, Bouyid silks, Fatimid fabrics, a carpet collection, Asia Minor and Ottoman Turkey. With the Far East, we first go to China. The 17th and 18th centuries witnessed the effervescence of the Indian companies and the development of motifs that adorned both porcelain and silk. Japan, which has long depended on China for silk production, has developed a particular style: kakemono, tsuzure, theatre dresses and fukusa. The tour devoted to Europe recalls the importance of the 8th century Islamic invasion in Spain, the influence of Sicily, the development of industry during the Renaissance and the art of embroidery. Of course, Lyon silk is the subject of particular attention. We discover creations by classical authors - Pillement, Philippe de Lasalle, Dugourc - up to the contemporary period illustrated by Raoul Dufy or Sonia Delaunay. The temporary exhibition "Compositions dévoilées" offers a marked walk through the world of textiles and costumes, from antiquity to the present day.

And the Museum of Decorative Arts

In the nearby Hôtel de Lacroix-Laval, the Musée des Arts Décoratifs has the second largest collection in France in furniture and works of art. His visit is essential to discover superb original pieces among a breathtaking collection. The extensive collection of Italian majolica reveals an incredible flowering of shapes and colours. As for furniture, from the Renaissance to the beginning of the 19th century, the greatest cabinetmakers were present: Oeben, Roussel, Dubois, Hache, Mondon, Canabas or Durand. We continue with tapestries from the 15th to 18th centuries, Rhineland, Flemish, Florentine and French. Then, through a selection of models, we will focus on the history of the pendulum. The last series, the goldsmith's trade: we see old pieces, Parisian and provincial, but also a section dedicated to contemporary goldsmith's trade. Finally, two museums in one for a visit full of wonder and surprises that will delight young and old (and if you have time, workshops for all ages allow you to get to know the world of weaving better)

Smart info

When? When? All year round. But why not take advantage of this weekend to attend one of the many festivals and other highlights? Illuminations at the beginning of December, Festival Lumière in October, Quai du Polar in April, Nuits Sonores in May or Nuits de Fourvière in June and July.

Getting there. Lyon is very easily accessible by car. However, the car can quickly become cumbersome in a city oriented towards "soft modes". Make sure you book accommodation with parking, because parking in Lyon is a budget. By train, two TGV stations, La Part-Dieu and Perrache. Both stations are connected to the rest of the urban transport network. By plane, Saint-Exupéry airport is 30 km east of Lyon. It is connected to the city by the Rhônexpress, a very convenient tram link.

Find your flight at the best price - Compare

Book your train tickets - Book

Rent your car at the best price - Compare

Useful. To prepare your escapade as well as possible.

ONLY LYON TOURISM - More information on the website

FABRIC AND DECORATIVE ARTS MUSEUM - More information on the website

Book your accommodation at the best conditions - Compare

Find a local agency for a tailor-made trip - Find

Find a cultural or sporting activity - Find