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Travelling as a group? Looking for a personalised programme? Call on the services of professionals with expert knowledge of their destination and passion for its history!
The Tour Guide Bureau
A team of 15 enthusiastic guides and 4 specialised sales advisors.
The Tour Guide Bureau provides guided tours in 8 languages (French, English, German, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Danish and Japanese) and 40 different themes.
With its experience and know-how, it is at your disposal to help you build your personnalised programme.
Every year, this department welcomes over 100,000 people which makes it the leading local operator.
The guided tours offer
The offer is wide and brings together all visit themes to meet your needs: you will find that Lyon has a very wide range on offer.
Unmissable visits will lead you to an encounter with 2,000 years of history in the narrow streets of Old Lyon or to finding out about the history of silk weavers in Croix-Rousse.
Unusual visits open the doors for you to prestigious buildings or get you to take a leap into the future by discovering the new faces of Lyon.
Widen your horizons by letting yourself be surprised by the communes of Greater Lyon or going off to explore the Auvergne Rhône-Alpes region.
Guided tours guide for groups or a-la-carte
Other services
The Tour Guide Bureau also offers guided transfers on foot, by bus or by boat, VIP accompaniment, night-and-day airport, railway station, restaurant and hotel assistance, assistance in organizing incentive or team-building activities related to city heritage with a presence on-site or conferences at the place of your choice, on 2 themes: UNESCO Lyon and mural paintings.
Additional information
> Visits on foot are programmed for 25 people at the most, except in special cases (museums, monuments… Please, see the description of the visit). For larger groups, several guides may be reserved.
> Guided bus tours are limited to 50 people at the most (in the group’s bus).
> Visits which include entering certain sites (museums, workshops, monuments…) are subject to authorization by the establishments concerned.
> Any extra entrance fees required for certain visits are to be paid directly on arrival.
Charter of good practices
As part of its commitments to responsible tourism, the Greater Lyon Tourist Office wanted to develop a shared tool for all tourism stakeholders connected with Lyon’s UNESCO World Heritage site.
Designed for both tourism professionals and visitors, this charter aims to promote respect for local residents and visited sites. A Charter of Good Practices is also available for visits to Tête d’Or park.
4 guided tours not to be missed
GENERAL TRIP: LYON, PART OF UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE
The historical site of Lyon was selected by UNESCO as World Heritage. The circuit is an invitation to explore 2,000 years of the city’s history.
From the hill of Fourvière, down to Old Lyon, across to the Presqu’île and up to the Croix-Rousse hill – an ideal solution for seeing Lyon’s emblematic buildings and discovering its history from Roman times through to the present day.
The coach-trip includes several stops for walks, especially in Old Lyon for visiting the "traboules" and its narrow pedestrian streets.
Tour by bus | 2 hours ou 3 hours. The Croix-Rousse district is not included in the 2h visit
TRABOULES OF THE CROIX-ROUSSE HILL & FAMOUS PEOPLE OF LYON MURAL
The Croix-Rousse is the district where the "canuts", the silk-workers of Lyon, lived in the 19th century. The famous Traboules passageways were very important for them as well as their livelihood.
Down the slopes of the Croix-Rousse hill, cross the Place des Terreaux where you can admire the City Hall, the Fine Arts Museum and Bartholdi’s fountain to get to the "Famous people of Lyon mural", that depicts the illustrious citizens of Lyon.
You will see portraits of the great men who have lived in Lyon from Roman times to the present day.
Tour on foot | 2 hours.
LYON CONFLUENCE: THE DISTRICT
Why not go see this new district everyone is talking about?
It is a fine example of contemporary urbanism where the environment is preserved. Set out on a discovery tour of a district that popped out of nowhere (well nearly). Follow the guide, who will treat you to a professional tour of the Confluence area, to explain how this new district, which is very popular with Lyon's younger working generations, was designed. A model of contemporary urbanism, where development has been thought as a whole: housing, shops and services, leisure, transport modes and environmental preservation.
Stroll along buildings with bold architecture, such as orange or Darse Cube, and discover places where creativity and entrepreneurship are key to the success of the area!
A certain idea of the future.
Tour on foot | 2 hours.
HISTORY OF THE GRAND HÔTEL-DIEU
The Grand Hôtel-Dieu, one of Lyon’s oldest hospitals, reveals its spaces following large-scale renovation.
From its foundation to its restoration, explore the building’s five inner courtyards, which reveal its architectural evolution from the 17th to the 21st century, as well as its successive uses and future plans.
Now dedicated to leisure and open to the city, the imposing façade of this historical monument on the banks of the Rhône was originally designed to impress visitors arriving from the left bank. Relive the development of medicine through amazing anecdotes and the careers of great men who contributed to the life of this iconic part of Lyon’s identity.
Tour on foot | 1 hour 30. This visit doesn't include the Chapel or the Grand Dôme
LE BUREAU DES GUIDES
Tel. + 33 (0)4 72 77 72 33
[email protected]
www.visiterlyon.com