Totally Free Entries in Lyon! Where? When? How?

Be Clever and Stay Richer in Lyon While Using those Totally Free Entries to the top Lyonnais monuments, historical sites and activities!

I know I have already written about Top 25 Free Things to Do in Lyon. I also written on how to visit and enjoy Lyon on a budget here  but because I have been living and experiencing Lyon more, I have learned something even more specific, hidden, not discovered in terms of savvy way of experiencing Lyon. Lyon is an amazing city in France, it offers all: amazing food, top art, interesting history, beautiful parks, not one but 2 rivers, very good shopping experience, just to name few things worth experiencing in Lyon.

In order to do it, you actually need to spend some money. But I paid a close attention and researched the opportunities (a bit hidden from us all) where we can get totally FREE Entries to the top Lyonnais monuments, sites and activities!

1. 1. Musée gallo-romain de Lyon. In general it is free for school groups, disabled persons accompanied by 2 guests, children under 18, the unemployed, and RMI beneficiaries. But on the first Sunday of the month the museum offers a free entrance for all guests as well as each Thursday the museum is FREE for all! Open: Tuesday-Friday from 11am to 6pm / Saturday-Sunday from 10 am to 6 pm. Located on the 17 rue Cléberg; 69005 Lyon; just next to the Fourviere Basilica.
   2. Planetarium organizes its monthly nocturnes always for free and offers the free entry to kids below 6 years old. What is more every 1st Saturday of the month, everyone can visit planetarium totally for free without reservations required.
   3. Musée de chirurgie dentaire –  The museum of dental surgery created in 1979. It presents the history of dental surgery: materials and documents, technological evolution of equipment and products, reconstitution of a cabinet of the years 1900 and a workshop of prosthesis. It is interesting to all, but especially to professionals or truly interested people. There is a huge library on the 2nd floor with 5000 references.  It is open on RV basis only, (every day except university holidays) and the price is not communicated. So i guess you can negotiate! Faculté d’Odontologie ; 11 rue Guillaume Paradin; 69008 Lyon; Tél. 04 78 77 86 92; Email : MarcellineGacon @ adm.univ-lyon1.fr
   4. Les Subsistances. It is International laboratory for creative research for dance, theater, circus etc.  It is located on the 8 bis, quai Saint-Vincent, 69001 Lyon. The certain manifestations and free visits. The plan can be viewed here.
   5. Le musée des Beaux-Arts so the Museum of Fine Arts which is one of the largest French and European museums. Located between the Rhône and Saône rivers, it is found in a magnificent building dating from the 17th century with the beautiful garden free to enter. The museum is only free for kids below 18 years old, handicaped and job seekers.
   6. Musee Pompiers –  Lyon and Rhone Firefighters Museum is one of the most important in France and probably in Europe. Its collections can not be described in a few pages, the visit is irreplaceable. “This museum is located in the Lyon-Duchère Intervention Center. In the museum you have a chance to see different vehicles and equipment used over time and discover pumps, first-aid vehicles, hundreds of helmets, motor pumps, and more. The museum is only free for kids below 18 years old, handicapped and job seekers.
   7. Musee de l’alambic. Not exactly in Lyon but near by. In the heart of the Rhône valley in Saint Désirat (600 route de la Syrah; 07340 SAINT DESIRAT – ARDECHE). There is a little and cute museum of the distillery JEAN GAUTHIER;  where you can admire a collection of materials, utensils and other tools of the rural heritage. You can discover the distillation workshop, the bottling line, the aging cellars and the entire manufacturing process. For some, it’s totally free and also at the end of the visit, there is a free tasting. So i guess you should negotiate the free entry and this is what I am going to do
   8. Memorial Montluc. The military prison located in front of Fort Montluc in Lyon. Opened in 1921, used during the Second World War, became a civil prison from 1947.  It closed its doors in 2009 as a women’s prison. Visits here are free of charge . It is open from Tuesday till Saturday afternoons and the guided visit is always at 3.30pm! But you should call or email them to book your visit so you are sure is is happening that day. The address is here: 4 rue Jeanne Hachette; 69003 Lyon; Tél: 04 78 53 60 41; Email: info@memorial-montluc.fr; reservation@memorial-montluc.fr
   9. Lyonnais Zoo. Created in 1858 in the Parc de la Tête d’Or, the Zoological Gardens cover more than 400 animals (149 mammals, 122 birds, 71 reptiles, 100 Florida turtles). It is open everyday from 9am till 5-6pm and totally free of charge to anyone.

• FREE but only for students, job seekers, holders with disabilities:

1. 1. Franco-Chinese Institute. History Museum and Center promoting the relations between Lyon and China, developing bridges between the economic, academic, cultural and associative worlds. The Institut Franco-Chinois de Lyon is the first and only Chinese university created outside China. Plein tarif : 5€; Tarif groupe : 2,5€; I is FREE for students less than 28 years; for job seekers, RSA, holders with disabilities.
   2. Auditorium Lyon Free for  students less than 28 years; for job seekers, RSA, holders with disabilities.  Rate last minute: €8 place. Chamber music concerts are free for children from 6 to 12 years accompanied by an adult (maximum three children per guide).  
   3. Théâtre des Célestins. Nothing for free here but at least the students can get a really good price of 9 € for any performance as a last minute which means that if you are a student below 26 years and waiting before the show in the theater, 15 mins before if there are free places, the theater will sell it for s
   4. More freebies for students can be found here at the Lyon Campus

BONUS 1:  Don’t forget about the Museum Card (reasonable price and valid for one year, giving you unlimited access to top Lyonnais museums) access , City Lyon Card (for a day, two or three; quite expensive but giving you unlimited access ALL museums, activities and most tours – only the time and energy is a limited here!) and lastly free to get Tip Top Card (which gives you discounts for tickets in the Rhone Alpes area)

BONUS 2:  The organisation Patrimoine Lyon has created and shared a very comprehensive guided tours of the main places in Lyon to visit. It is your FREE guide! You dont need to spend a penny to get a tour book. You can print out and take with you exploring Lyon:

• PDF printable visit “CROIX-ROUSSE” : 734Ko
• PDF printable visit “FOURVIERE” : 918Ko
• PDF printable visit “VIEUX-LYON” : 598Ko
• PDF printable visit “PRESQU’ILE” : 913Ko
• PDF printable visit “SAINT-JUST” : 543Ko
• PDF printable visit “AINAY” : 737Ko

Thank you to  Patrimoine Lyon

So again I tried to keep it ‘Short & Sweet’. Did you know any of those Freebies in Lyon? I will continue to explore Lyon on a budget. I am on a mission to discover more Free Entries in Lyon because as much as we love travelling, visiting new places, learning new things about other countries, admiring the art and finding out the history, at the end of the day you it can be expensive. And it’s not fair, as it can limit our passions and curiosity of world that is why I think it is important to find ways to do it cheaper and ideally for free. What do you think? Can you contribute with any finds of the Free Entries in Lyon, around Lyon and France? Please do & lets share these passions. Thanks!