Highlights of Lyon Wheelchair Accessible Guided Tour
This 6 -hour Highlights of Lyon Wheelchair Accessible Guided Tour offers a full day of exploring the very best sights of Lyon, using step-free and curb-free routes.Your friendly, local Lyonnais tour guide is excited to escort you around his beloved city,while sharing the fascinating stories and history unique to the beautiful, old city of Lyon.
This wonderful accessible Lyon tour starts when you meet your private guide at the Square Bellecour, the third largest square in France and a popular and lively part of the daily life for the Lyonnais. This beautiful square is a part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site, and houses an equestrian statue of King Louis XIV by Francois-Frederic Lemont (1825). After touring the Square and learning about the interesting sights and history here, you’ll head out on a fascinating walking/strolling tour of Vieux Lyon (the old town), where you’ll see hidden gems and alleys, as well as charming secret courtyards – all are unique to Lyon. Using wheelchair friendly, step-free and curb free routes, you’ll cross the Pont Bonaparte Bridge to cross the Saône river. You’ll see the site of the historic WWII memorial at the café that was bombed, and see the charming exterior and courtyard of the Gadagne Museum and Temple du Change.
Next, your guide will escort you to one of the most beautiful churches you’ll ever see; the Cathedrale Saint-Jean Baptiste. Whether you visit for spiritual reasons, or just for the beauty of it, this place will impress you! The majestic cathedral has an astronomical clock that has been around for centuries, and it has its own original mechanism of the 14th century. There is also a museum attached to the cathedral, where relics of Saints are kept. Your guide will make sure to provide you with the history that surrounds it so that you can appreciate it all even more.
After your visit here, you’ll get to sit down for a delicious lunch at an accessible café (after all, food is one of the many reasons why one would visit Lyon). With some rest and a full stomach, you’ll continue the second part of your day by taking the accessible funicular up to the Notre Dame de Fouvrier Church on the Fourviere hill. The Basilique Notre-Dame de Fourvière, which is the original name, was built between 1872 and 1876 over an ancient Roman forum, next to the existing Chapel of the Virgin. The impressive exterior of the church has slender turrets on its four corners, crenelated walls and a glided statue of the Virgin over the bell tower. The interior boasts of richly decorated interior including marble work, stained glass windows, and colored mosaics covering almost every surface. Your guide will lead you on a tour of the church site using wheelchair friendly routes, and he’ll also point out the best panoramic Lyon city views so have your camera ready!
After visiting the spectacular church, you’ll stop by Le parc de hauteur, a hillside park below the basilica featuring a rose garden and sweeping city views. Your guide will explain some of the most interesting stories about this place before continuing to the ancient Roman Ruins. Please note that parts of this site are not accessible and will only be viewed from a distance. Your tour will end with walking/rolling to the bottom entrance of the ruins to take the Funicular down to the Old Town and return to your tour starting point to end the full day Lyon experience.
The Highlights of Lyon Wheelchair Accessible Guided Tour includes:
- Accessible tour routes, confirmed to be wheelchair accessible
- 6-hour guided private walking / rolling tour of the Old Town Lyon
- Lively commentary by your local English speaking tour guide
- A memorable, firsthand sightseeing experience in Lyon!
Tour Highlights:
- Square Bellecour
- Equestrian statue of King Louis XIV
- Vieux Lyon – the largest Renaissance district of Lyon
- WWII memorial at the café that was bombed
- Exterior visits to Gadagne Museum and Temple du Change.
- Interior visit to Cathedrale Saint-Jean Baptiste
- Hidden gems and alleys, as well as charming secret courtyards
- Lunch at an accessible café (cost not included).
- Accessible funicular ride up the Fourvière hill
- Interior visit to Basilique Notre-Dame de Fourvière
- Le parc de hauteur
Accessibility Description:
I gave the Highlights of Lyon Wheelchair Accessible Guided Tour a 3 Star Sage Accessibility Rating because it includes step-free routes and avoids as much uneven terrain as possible. It also includes accessible bathrooms along the route and an accessible funicular ride. It did not get a higher rating because the tour participants will need to walk/roll along the route rather than drive, and there are several parts with moderate cobblestones and slopes due to the nature and age of Vieux Lyon and the Fourvière hill.
Your tour will begin at Square Bellecour. The terrain here is fairly easy to navigate as it is mostly flat and without cobblestones.
On the route you will see the Site of WWII memorial at café that was bombed and pass the Pont Bonaparte bridge. The surfaces in this part are still fairly flat and smooth to navigate.
Cathedrale Saint-Jean Baptiste is located in Vieux Lyon, and you will experience some cobblestones in this area. Right in font of the Cathedral, there are severe cobblestones (see photo below). To avoid the stairs at the main entrances, there is a ramp to the side of the building.
Inside the Cathedral the floors are flat and smooth. Some display areas have small steps leading into them. These can be avoided.
You will use the accessible funicular to get up the hill from Vieux Lyon. It has nearly flat access with a small gap into one car. There is a special ramp available to bridge the gap if needed.
At the top of the hill, you’ll visit Basilique Notre-Dame de Fourvière. The main entrance has steps but there is step-free access into the basilica to the left side.
On the left side of the building is a side entrance that leads to the elevator. The Crypt can be reached via elevator
On the right side of the church is the old, smaller church and the gift shop.
The Roman Ruins are partly in-accessible but can still be viewed from the parts that are flat and smooth. You will encounter some slopes, uneven terrain and hilly areas here.
Tour Details
Tour Duration: 6 hours
Cost: 1-2 people EUR 530, 3-4 people EUR 550, 5-6 people EUR 570
* 20 EUR off if booked as part of an accessible Lyon travel package
Meeting place: Your friendly tour guide will meet you at Square Bellecour.
Meeting time: Morning 9:00 AM
Days offered: 7 days a week
Maximum number of people on tour: 10
Entrance Tickets: Not Needed.
To review our cancellation policy, please click: HERE. Tours run rain or shine.
Not included: Snacks/meals, gratuities, and public transport costs.
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