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Bucket list experience:

Last updated: 07 November, 2022
Expert travel writer: Anna Brooke

Fourviere’s Roman theatres come to life on June and July evenings with a dazzling variety of events on this festival’s calendar each year. These include top-class theatre, dance and circus acts, plus many famous singers.

Bob Dylan, Björk and the Stone Roses have performed here recently, as well as many fabulous French acts. A few events are held in other venues.

Recommended itineraries by our writers that include this experience

Price from: £30
Minimum age: Any
Age suitable: 18+
Frequency: annually
When: June & July
Duration: 2 months

Getting there & doing it

The easiest way to get to Fourviere’s Roman theatres is via the funicular from near the cathedral down in Vieux Lyon.

Look up the full programme of events on the website as early as you can, as the big-name events sell out fast.

Go to the festival’s website to book tickets directly. Alternatively, tickets can be bought at the festival’s on-site restaurant, La Petite Table des Nuits. It’s open weekday lunchtimes before the festival; every day, lunch and dinner, during the festival.

Crowds are large, but it’s great seeing Roman theatres filled with people. As the Roman theatres are outdoor spaces, keep an eye on the forecast so that you can adapt according to the evening.

When to do it

The festival runs annually during June and July.

Our writer’s picks of the best places to stay near this experience, closest first

Fourviere Hotel

Lyon, Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes, France[0.3 miles]

High-end design hotel in a former convent, on the Fourviere hillside, offering chic eateries, including a typical bouchon, plus a spa and an outdoor pool.

Official star rating:

Villa Florentine

Lyon, Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes, France[0.6 miles]

Gorgeous convent converted into a calm luxurious retreat, aloof on the Fourviere hillside overlooking Lyon.

Official star rating:

Cour des Loges

Lyon, Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes, France[0.7 miles]

Uniquely stylish hotel-with-restaurant stretching across several historic houses in the centre of Vieux Lyon. Perfectly located for sightseeing.

Official star rating:

College Hotel

Lyon, Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes, France[1 miles]

Playful school-themed hotel in the heart of Vieux Lyon, offering city views, and a terrace bar where nightly light shows illuminate the facade.

Official star rating:

Destination guides including or relevant to this experience

Lyon

Auberge-Rhone-Alpes, France

The gastronomic capital of France, if not the world, is not just a foodie hotspot. With UNESCO-protected architecture and awe-inspiring Roman ruins, its one for history lovers too..

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Our writer’s recommendations of other bucket list experiences our writer says you must do in this destination, closest first

Lugdunum Museum

Lyon, Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes, France[0.2 miles]

Nestled into the Fourviere hillside, Lyon’s fascinating Roman attraction is home to two ancient theatres and a museum filled with artefacts depicting all aspects life in the Roman town of Lugdunum.

Best for ages: 13+ | £3

Fourviere Hill

Lyon, Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes, France[0.4 miles]

The Fourviere hillside offers panoramic city views, a huge 19th-century basilica, two exceptional Roman theatres, and illuminating insights into Lyon’s Roman past.

Best for ages: 18+ | Free

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Vieux (Old) Lyon

Lyon, Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes, France[0.7 miles]

Lyon’s historic and most beautiful quarter, notably filled with fine 16th-century French Renaissance mansions. An insight into how the city thrived in the Renaissance.

Best for ages: 18+ | Free

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Other worthwhile experiences near this experience if you have time or interest..

Close up of the cathedral front facade
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Saint-Jean Cathedral

Lyon, Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes, France[0.6 miles]

Henri IV married Marie de Medicis in this stunning medieval cathedral, famed for its 16th-century astronomical clock and one the world’s largest 17th-century bells, rung up to 15 times a year.

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Museum of miniatures in french city Lyon. Glass showcase of the museum with action figures in
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Best for ages: 4+ | £8

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Gadagne Museum

Lyon, Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes, France[0.8 miles]

Housed in Vieux Lyon’s grandest mansion, this small museum is actually two museums: the Museum of Lyon History, which traces the history of the city since medieval times, and the World Puppet Museum, with over 2,000 puppets collected over centuries.

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Village des Createurs

Lyon, Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes, France[1.6 miles]

The go-to spot for shopaholics, this covered passage at the foot of Croix-Rousse houses Lyon’s edgiest fashion and interior design boutiques, plus a hand full of arty pop-up stores.

Best for ages: 13+ | Free

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