Lyon — food & stroller friendly
What We Actually Did
Parc de la Tête d’Or- The giant free park that has it all
One of Europe's largest urban parks and completely free to enter — including the zoo. The zoo is in the middle of a genuine ethical transformation: moving toward housing only endangered species (currently 70% are on the red list), ditching cruel practices, and redesigning enclosures for actual animal welfare. Great for Emmy, stroller-friendly, and Cali would love the open paths. The "African Plain" section has giraffes and zebras living in a semi-open savanna-style habitat. No crowds early in the morning.
The river walk (Quais du Rhône)- Lyons best stroller secret
The riverbank steps here have a slope built directly into the stairs — not a ramp off to the side, but quietly integrated into the architecture itself. You'd never notice unless you were pushing a stroller. Emmy slept the whole way down. The quais are wide, flat, and run for kilometers along both the Rhône and Saône — genuinely one of the best walking routes in France for a family with a dog and a pram.
Le Bistrot des Fauves- Downstairs from our airbnb, finding a cafe close by your stay is key as a family
The restaurant directly under where we stayed. Classic Lyonnais bouchon vibes without the tourist markup. Lyon is the gastronomic capital of France for a reason — even the neighborhood bistrot punches above its weight. Dog-friendly terrace, relaxed about kids, exactly the kind of place you want below your apartment.
We didn’t stay long in Lyon, so here are some things still on our list:
The Traboules of Vieux Lyon- Lyon's famous hidden passageways
Secret covered passageways that cut through Renaissance apartment buildings, connecting one street to another. Used by silk workers and later by the French Resistance. Around 40 are open to the public — you have to know which doors to push open. Stroller access is hit or miss (narrow staircases in some), but the flat ones are doable. Best explored with a map from the Lyon tourist office.
Fourvière Basilica + Roman Amphitheatre- The hill above the city
The basilica sits at the top of Fourvière hill and the views over Lyon are worth the climb. There's a funicular (the ficelle) which makes it doable with a stroller — no need to hike up. The Roman amphitheatre nearby is one of the oldest in the world and still hosts concerts in summer. Free to walk around.
Les Halles Paul Bocuse- The indoor food market
The famous covered market named after Paul Bocuse, with stalls of Lyon's best charcuterie, cheese, quenelles, and pastries. More of a gourmet shopping experience than a produce market — worth going for the quenelle de brochet (pike dumpling, a Lyon specialty) and the cheese alone. Great for stocking an apartment kitchen.
Street murals — Cité de la Création- The largest collection of trompe l'oeil murals in the world
Lyon has over 150 large-scale painted murals across the city, many of them photorealistic trompe l'oeil illusions that make buildings look like open windows onto something else. The most famous is the Fresque des Lyonnais (Wall of Famous Lyonnais) near Vieux Lyon. Great for content — they photograph beautifully and Emmy would probably love the visual weirdness of them.
Practical notes: Lyon is more stroller-friendly and dog-friendly than it looks on paper — the quais are the key. For Cali, the Rhône riverbanks have off-leash stretches early morning. The metro is manageable but the traboules are not — plan around that. Best food neighborhood for a local feel is the Croix-Rousse, up the hill from Vieux Lyon.
