Lyon with kids: a day plan
The essentials in 10 seconds
- Entry
- all 3 free
- Duration
- 5 h 50 min · 09:30–15:20
- Start and finish
- Fourvière Basilica → Parc de la Tête d'Or
- On foot
- ≈ 16 min in total
- Transport
- 1 ride, ≈ 24 min
- Lunch
- around 11:26
- With kids
- fine: short walks
- Best time
- April to October; in winter, the ice rink on Bellecour.
The plan, stop by stop
Times include walking and lunch. Drag a stop by ≡, remove it with the cross or add one nearby — the plan updates.
Lyon09:30–15:20 · 3 places · 5 h 50 min
Fourvière Basilica
· 1 h · Free
- 16 min on foot
Place Bellecour
· 40 min · Free
- Lunch · 1 h
- 24 min · transport or taxi
Parc de la Tête d'Or
· 2 h 30 min · Free
Add nearby
Places near the plan — Yes puts one into the day and the times update.
What the route costs
All 3 stops are free — you pay only for museums inside, if you go in, and for lunch.
| 1 | Fourvière Basilica | 45 | 1 h | Free |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Place Bellecour | 45 | 40 min | Free |
| 3 | Parc de la Tête d'Or | 36 | 2 h 30 min | Free |
| Total | 4 h 10 min | 3 of 3 free |
Tips for each stop
- 1
Fourvière Basilica. The white basilica of mosaics on the hill and the city's best viewpoint. Free; funicular up.
- 2
Place Bellecour. A vast pedestrian square with Louis XIV on horseback, the Little Prince and the tourist office. Free.
- 3
Parc de la Tête d'Or. A 117-hectare park by the Rhône: a boating lake, a free zoo, glasshouses and a rose garden.
Who this route is for
- Children aged 3 and up
- A family trip
- Wanting both nature and city
- Traboules with toddlers: keep it short
- Museums are optional
April to October; in winter, the ice rink on Bellecour.
Lyon with kids: how the day works
Start in the Parc de la Tête d'Or in the morning while it's quiet: the zoo is free, and the giraffes of the African plain are visible from the walkways. In summer, hire a boat on the lake or ride the mini train.
Then take metro A to Place Bellecour and find the Little Prince with Saint-Exupéry. From there it's 10 minutes on foot across the Saône to the funicular, whose short ride up the hill to the basilica children love.
Remove any stop with ✕ or reorder it with ≡, and add another nearby: the timings update.
Where to eat with kids
The park has cafés and kiosks selling ice cream and crêpes, and the lawn by the lake is perfect for a picnic.
Many bouchons offer children's portions, and bakeries across the centre sell simple sandwiches and pastries.
Tips for travelling with kids
The park paths are flat, easy with a pushchair or scooter. Not every metro and funicular station has a lift, so with a pushchair the tram and quayside walks are easier.
Hold children's hands at the Fourvière viewpoint, where the drop is steep. In summer bring water and hats, as Place Bellecour has almost no shade.
More to do with kids
Children enjoy the Roman theatres of Lugdunum, where they can run up and down the tiers, and medieval Pérouges with its gate and sugar galette.
How to do it right
- The zoo is free.
- Funicular up the hill.
- Picnic by the lake.
- France uses the euro. Cards and contactless are accepted almost everywhere. Metro, tram and funicular tickets come from machines or the TCL app; the Lyon City Card includes transport and museums.
Questions
What is there to do in Lyon with kids?
The Parc de la Tête d'Or and its zoo, Place Bellecour and Fourvière by funicular.
Is Lyon's zoo free?
Yes, the zoo in the Parc de la Tête d'Or is free.
Is Lyon pushchair-friendly?
The park and quays are; Vieux-Lyon has cobbles and steps.
Where can you eat with kids?
At the Tête d'Or cafés, bouchons with children's portions and bakeries.
Sources and fact-check
- Prices, opening hours and time on site come from each place's page, with its own sources and check date
- Lyon tourist office, visiterlyon.com
