Free things to do in Lyon

Lyon rewards walking more than paying. The old town, the two rivers and the hill above them form a loop you can do in a morning without spending anything, and the city's parks are free all year.

Start in Vieux Lyon. The traboules, the covered passages running through the Renaissance blocks, are the thing most visitors miss and the thing locals use as shortcuts. Several are open to the public in daylight; a few are residents' entrances, so keep quiet and pass through. Access is managed by the city and some doors close on Sundays and holidays.

Then climb or ride to Fourvière. The basilica terrace gives the postcard view over the city for nothing, and the Roman theatres beside it are open to walk through. The funicular up costs a normal TCL ticket; the walk up from Vieux Lyon takes about 20 minutes on stairs and lanes.

Parc de la Tête d'Or is the other free anchor: a large city park with a lake, a free botanical garden and a free zoo area. It fills a whole afternoon with children and costs nothing.

Almost everything on this list is genuinely free: parks, churches, river banks, squares and street art. The only likely spend is transport. A single TCL ticket for metro, tram, bus or funicular is a few euros; a day pass costs more but pays off if you ride four or more times. Check current fares and ticket types on the TCL site before you buy.

Hours are the thing to verify. Churches and basilicas keep their own schedules and may close for services. Park gates close at night. Traboules are private passages with public access at set times, and some shut on Sundays. Museum permanent collections are often free or reduced for EU residents under a certain age, but rules change; check the museum's own page rather than trusting an old list.

If it rains, shift to covered ground: the traboules, the markets, and any museum with a free permanent collection. The city's rainy-day options are worth a separate look.

Lyon sits about two hours from Paris by TGV, which makes it an easy two-night stop on a longer France route. From the stations, metro and tram lines reach the old town, the Presqu'île and the park. Most of the free sights cluster within walking distance of each other once you are in the centre.

For Vieux Lyon and Fourvière, metro D plus the funicular is the simplest combination. For Parc de la Tête d'Or, metro A puts you at the edge of the park. The river banks connect the two halves of the city on foot, so a free day can be done without a car.

Tickets and passes are sold at machines and in the TCL app; validate before you ride, as inspectors do check.

Do the old town early. By mid-morning the traboules and the basilica get busy, and the light on the Fourvière terrace is better before the crowds.

Wear shoes you can climb stairs in. The walk up to Fourvière is steep in places, and the old town is cobbled.

Carry water for the park and the hill; there are fountains but fewer than you expect.

Check opening days for anything you specifically want to enter, especially on Mondays and public holidays.

Keep your voice down in the traboules. People live there, and access depends on visitors behaving.

April to June and September to October are the best months for a free walking day: mild temperatures, long daylight and parks at their best. July and August are hot, and the hill climb is harder in the afternoon; go early or late. Winter is cold but the city is quieter, and the free sights stay open.

Avoid planning a free outdoor day around a major public holiday without checking, as some passages and smaller sites close.