Two nights and a day in Lyon

[Janek]

We will be in Lyon for two nights and one day over half term, en route to the UK from Italy and are looking for things we might do while we are there. We are DP, DD1 (16), DD2 (13) and me. We have never been to Lyon before and don't want to miss anything good! Any recommendations?

Haven’t been since pre-covid so not sure if anything has closed.
On Quai St Antoine there was a typical and wonderful French open air fresh food market open (nearly) every day. There was also an amazing indoor food market and we got loads of samples at both!
Stroll through the lovely Vieux (Old) Lyon and admire the architecture. We also found lots of little passageways and it was fun exploring.
By far the best and most interesting museum was the cinema and miniature museum.

If you are inside the autoroutes, you'll need the Crit'Air certificate for the car. Easy to get online.

There are Roman ruins, a theatre I think, near the old town. Croix Rousse in the north of the city is a bohemian area and you can visit some of the old silk workers' houses. Parc de la Tete D'Or is a big park in the north west with running and cycling trails (the city does a bike hire scheme), a lake and a zoo. There is (was when I was last there) an open swimming pool by the bank of the Rhone river between the bridges de la Guillotiere and de l'Universite. You can do boat trips, visit the new(ish) Confluence neighbourhood. It's an interesting city, mix of old and new, and it has great food. Transport is easy, trams, metro bus.

Cool, thank you all!

There's a funicular going up to the impressive roman amphitheatre and the frankly bonkers (imo) basilica and it's a nice walk down.
I also like the great fountain in the square at les Terasses - France (a topless young woman, of course) driving a chariot pulled by 4 horses, representing the rivers of France.