20 Top Trips Ideas Around Lyon in Photos

20 Top Trips Ideas Around Lyon in Photos 

I love Lyon most and all! I have explored a lot of it already and will explore a lot more but I also like to discover new things so I think that sometimes it is good to leave Lyon …just for few hours (let’s make it clear here) and then come back realizing how much I missed it & appreciate even more. Does it sound good? Well, if so I have for you some cool ideas to try out….How about you stay in Lyon for some time, you enjoy it fully and then you do some easy & convenient and interesting trips to the places around Lyon?

Are you free the whole day or you have just few spare hours…Check out My List of Top 20 Top  Trips To Do Around Lyon!

Vienne – about 30 kilometers south of Lyon

Once major center of the Roman empire, it is a beautiful town rich in history and architecture. The most impressive roman monuments in Vienne are the ‘Temple d’Auguste et de Livie’ (built between 20 to 10 BC); the roman amphitheatre (one of the largest Roman amphitheatres and comes from  40 to 50 AD and is) and the Jardin de Cybèle. And while in Vienne, you should also explore its medieval heritage: the old town, the cathedral of Saint Maurice, the Church of Saint-André-le-Bas, the Church of Saint-Pierre…just to list really a few things to see!

St-Etienne– about 50 kilometers south of Lyon.

Check for more information here(LINK)

Grenoble – about 90 kilometers south of Lyon

Get your free brochure here. And find out more about Grenoble here(LINK)

Ambronay about 60 kilometers from Lyon

Being a small yet such a lovely village of Ain, Ambronay  has a lot of  important monuments to see: Fort Sarrazin, The Chateau of Silans Park, The Town Hall Park and the Chateau of Saint-Gras Park. There are also very important religious places which have been registered as historical monuments: The Cloister Garden and the Abbey of Our Lady of Ambronay which  is now a cultural centre popular thanks to its ancient and baroque music festival  happening each year in September/October.

Domaine de Lacroix-Laval – about 13 kilometers from Lyon

Surrounded by 115 hectares of meadows, forests, vegetable garden and greenhouse, this beautiful historic domaine is actually the 16th century castle which nowadays organizes temporary exhibitions open

Oingt – about 25 kilometers from Lyon

Located in the Beaujolais vineyards of the Rhone-Alps region, this beautiful village has been awarded a title of ‘most beautiful village of France’ in the 2007. It’s charming and lovely, made of the golden stone with the 16th century castle.

Couvent de la Tourette – about 30 kilometers from Lyon

Designed by architects Le Corbusier and Iannis Xenakis, constructed between 1956 and 1960, la Tourette is considered one of the most important buildings of the late Modernist style. In July 2016 it became the UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Sainte-Croix-en-Jarez – about 48 kilometers from Lyon

Located in the Regional Natural Park of Pilat in the Loire department, this charming little village has been ranked as one of the “Plus Beaux Villages” of France. Former monastery of the Carthusian Order, Sainte-Croix-en-Jarez is now a real village, where you can admire the Chartreuse well preserved buildings ( from the 13th century)

Maison d’Ampère (Electricity Museum), Poleymieux – about 14 kilometers from Lyon

Built in 1928 it used to be André-Marie Ampere (1775-1836) family home. Nowadays, it serves as a museum which contains documents and a large collection of all objects used by the scientist in his  invention of electricity. The Ampere House offers workshops discovery of all levels to raise awareness of renewable energy.

Château de Rochetaillée-sur-Saone – about 11 kilometers from Lyon

Built in the 12th century, renovated in 19th, this ancient castle serves today as the the museum of the automobile Henri-Malartre. In 1959, Henri Malartre bought this castle for his vintage cars’ collection. It became the first automobile museum in France in 31 May 1960. Nowadays it belongs to the city of Lyon which  bought the castle in 1972 and kept it open to the public. So you can visit it after and before doing it, just check few details here.

Crémieu – about 11 kilometers from Lyon

Being such a charming medieval town, Cremieu offers a number of attractions and historic buildings worth exploring. These are: the medieval city gates (Porte de la Loi, Porte Neuve and Porte de Quirieu), the old Augustins Convent and its pretty cloisters, 15th-century market, and the 12th-century ruined château. The village with its castle once belonged to the Dauphins de Viennois nobles. Nowadays, the citizens make a good use of the historical heritage and share their historical heritage. Every Wednesday morning there is a real market held in the 15th-century covered hall where people can buy local specialities. And every September, the town organizes Les Médiévales, a festive event dedicated to the Middle Ages featuring shows, royal dances, street entertainment, a craft market and banquet.

The Grottes de Cerdon (Caves of Cerdon) – about 75 kilometers northeast from Lyon

Created in the great Ice Ages, from the slow workings of turbulent water, the Cerdon Caves offer amazing sights to be discovered. You will follow the educational trail showing a chronological history of the Earth and human evolution. Your tour will last 1.5 hour. Here you have a map and audio guide to download. But if you want to see more and do more, visit their park and take part in the activities they offer here. It seems ideal for kids but not only! I am going there …one day!

Perouges –  about 35 kilometers from Lyon.

Find out more about Perouges and ‘Les Plus Beaux Villages de France’ here. I have been & seen and loved it

Parc de Courzieu –  about 21 kilometers from Lyon

I have been & seen and will highly recommend. Check my memories from the Parc de Courzieu here and find out why you should visit.

Beaujolais about 30PLUS kilometers from Lyon

I have totally explored Beaujolais and discovered it’s gems like Oignt. So learn a bit more about the area  and what it offers….well…very good wine indeed!

The Postman Cheval’s Ideal Palace  – less than 50 kilometers from Lyon

And here (LINK) are the top my reasons on why you should visit this magical place!

Château Grillet – about 43 kilometers south of Lyon

Officially created in 1936, Château Grillet is the smallest (the whole appellation is only 3.8 hectares) wine-growing AOC in the northern Rhône wine region. Château-Grillet AOC is an enclave of the Condrieu appellation. It makes the white wine from Viognier grapes and the wine is intended to be drunk with some maturity. It is usually kept about 10 years or more from the vintage year. So you can be sure the quality of wine is top! And so for the best wine discovery experience we all should go! Beautiful landscapes and delicious wine – Château Grillet is on my list of places to visit!

Parc de Oiseaux – about 35 kilometers from Lyon

Located in Villars-les-Dombes in the department of Ain, Parc des Oiseaux is one of the oldest ornithological parks in France (opened in 1970). It has a collection of more than 3,000 birds  of 300 species from around the world which are accommodated in the area of 380 ha. Each year the park welcomes on average 250,000 visitors. It is very popular because it offers different experiences: you can not only discover new species, observe the birds in 20 different environments but also come closer and feed the birds. There is also super Birds Flight Show – one of the most impressive worldwide, which you need to see! So get ready for the visit and the bonus –  get your free map of the park here.

Espace Zoologique de Saint Martin La Plaine about 30 kilometers from Lyon

Opened in 1972, the Zoological Space of Saint-Martin-la-Plaine is a French private zoo which was launched and run by the Thivillon family mainly. The founders: Pierre and Eliane Thivillon started their zoo collections from the local wildlife. They collected the wounded wild animals and cared for them. The collection has been growing rapidly and soon the zoo opened to public. The family continued works to accommodate even more species. Nowadays, the park presents species from every continent, including great apes, mascots of the park, and work to safeguard animals. There are over 1,000 animals with their main star – a big gorilla who was born (as the first one) in a captivity in 1995.

La Balme-les-Grottes –  about 35 kilometers from Lyon

Opened to the public in 1807, The Caves of La Balme are one of the most valuable natural areas in France. This is a the best place to discover, learn and see the real bat species from Rhône-Alpes. But this is not all, there are other animals to be discovered in the cave such as the cave invertebrates and birds (Western Jackdaw, Swift, Crag Martin, Tawny Owl).  On top of that the Caves of La Balme provide you with a great experience of the mysterious, a bit chilly ( 12° to 15°C at the lowest) cave which you will explore during the self-guided tour (about 75 minutes). There are small passages to follow and get scared! This is a great idea for the whole family, easy to get & interesting with the free parking offered!

BONUS: Well I cannot miss this one! Annecy –  about 100 kilometers from Lyon, is a very attractive old Alpine town in France. It has very beautiful lake and the stunning view of snow-capped mountains. Simply, it is magnificent with many things to do and one day seems to be not enough to experience it all! I cannot wait to visit…my little ‘reve’ I am looking forward to!

Uff…many places and I feel I could carry on with the list! But for those top 20, did you find any that are appealing to you? Well, these are really cool places you should visit when you are in Lyon and when you want to explore something different. I have seen & been in most of them and I would highly recommend. There are few of them still on my list of things to do. But maybe you have some other ideas for a Trip Around Lyon I could do? I am really open to suggestions and will wait to hear from you….Thanks in advance for sharing experience and ideas!