Saint-Jean Cathedral
Lyon, France
Place Bellecour, Lyon
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Photo: Corentin Eustacchi, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia CommonsFit in nearby today
The essentials in 10 seconds
- Entry
- Free
- Hours
- Always open
- Time on site
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A typical visit without queueing. In high season add 15–30 minutes. - 40 min
- With kids
- Fine with kids
- Size
- 312 × 200 m, 6.2 ha
- Metro
- A and D, Bellecour station
- Tourist office
- In a pavilion on the square
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From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Duration
- ≈ 30–60 minutes
- Location
- Centre of the Presqu'île, 2nd arrondissement
Key facts
6.2 haarea of Place Bellecour
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English Wikipedia3rdlargest square in France
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English Wikipedia1825the Louis XIV statue installed
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English Wikipedia2000the Saint-Exupéry monument
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English WikipediaAbout Place Bellecour
Place Bellecour lies at the very heart of the Presqu'île, the peninsula between the Saône and Rhône rivers. It measures 312 by 200 metres, making it France's third-largest square after Place des Quinconces in Bordeaux and Place de la Concorde in Paris, and Europe's largest pedestrian square.
The name comes from a 12th-century vineyard of the archbishop of Lyon, Bella curtis, 'beautiful garden'. In the early 18th century it became a royal square, ringed with buildings whose façades were designed by Robert de Cotte, Louis XIV's architect. Today Bellecour is Lyon's kilometre zero, the point from which all distances are measured.
What to see
- The Louis XIV statue — an equestrian monument of 1825.
- Saône and Rhône — bronze allegories at the base.
- The Little Prince — the Saint-Exupéry monument.
- The tourist office — maps, tickets and the Lyon City Card.
- The view of Fourvière — the basilica above Vieux-Lyon.
- The shopping streets — Rue de la République and Rue Victor-Hugo.
The square's statues
In the middle stands the equestrian statue of Louis XIV by François-Frédéric Lemot, installed in 1825. It took twelve days to haul from Paris on a cart drawn by 24 horses, and the whole city turned out to greet it. At its base are bronze figures of Lyon's two rivers, the Saône and Rhône, by the Coustou brothers, from 1720.
In the west corner of the square is a monument to Antoine de Saint-Exupéry and his Little Prince. The writer and aviator was born in Lyon, and the monument went up in 2000 for the centenary of his birth. Lyon's airport is named after him too.
The square through the year
Bellecour is busy all year. In winter an ice rink and a 60-metre Ferris wheel go up, the wheel looking over the whole Presqu'île and the hills. In December the square is one of the main stages of the Festival of Lights.
At Pentecost there's a pétanque tournament, plus book fairs, concerts and festivals. On Friday evenings mass rollerblade rides start here. On ordinary days it's where locals and visitors meet.
Around Bellecour
The centre's main streets fan out from the square: pedestrian Rue de la République leads to the town hall and Opéra, Rue Victor-Hugo to Perrache station, and Rue Édouard-Herriot is full of luxury shops. To the south lies the quiet Ainay quarter with its Romanesque basilica.
Across the Saône bridge is Vieux-Lyon with Saint-Jean Cathedral, and above it Fourvière Basilica. The square is part of the historic centre on the UNESCO list.
How to get there
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Where are you starting from?
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On foot
- Saint-Jean Cathedral is about 10 min away on foot.
- Vieux-Lyon is about 13 min away on foot.
- Fourvière Basilica is about 19 min away on foot.
More tips
- Metro A or D to Bellecour, which exits right onto the square.
- From Vieux-Lyon, 10 minutes on foot over the Pont Bonaparte.
- From Perrache station, 15 minutes along Rue Victor-Hugo.
- From Part-Dieu station, metro B then change to A or D.
Tips for your visit
Half an hour to an hour is enough for the square, but it makes a good base for a whole day in Lyon. Drop into the tourist office in the morning, then cross the Saône into Vieux-Lyon.
Bellecour pairs naturally with Vieux-Lyon and Saint-Jean Cathedral across the river, and a sunset climb to Fourvière Basilica.
The square is red gravel with almost no shade, so it's hot on summer afternoons; bring water and a hat. It's flat and easy with a pushchair.
Before you go
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Places in Lyon: compare and choose
Places in Lyon rated by YesGo. Click a column header to sort.
| Place Bellecouryou are here | 45 | 40 min | Free | — |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vieux-Lyon | 39 | 2 h 30 min | Free | 12 min walk |
| Pérouges | 25 | 2 h 30 min | Free | 31.4 km |
Nearby and on the way
How to do it right
- Start at the tourist office.
- Water and a hat in summer.
- Ice rink and wheel in winter.
- Metro A and D, Bellecour.
Questions
Where is Place Bellecour?
In the centre of the Presqu'île, at Bellecour metro (lines A and D).
What is there to see on Place Bellecour?
The Louis XIV statue, the Little Prince monument and the view of Fourvière.
How big is Place Bellecour?
312 by 200 metres, or 6.2 hectares.
How long do I need at the square?
30–60 minutes.
What is near Place Bellecour?
Vieux-Lyon, Saint-Jean Cathedral, Rue de la République and the Ainay quarter.
Have you been? Was it worth your time?
1 — no, 5 — absolutely
Your vote counts towards the YesGo score.
Sources and fact-check
- English Wikipedia: Place Bellecour
- Lyon tourist office, visiterlyon.com
