Silk, saints and painted windows: Lyon as a riddle trail
The Lyon scavenger hunt is a self-guided city game you play on your phone: you walk from landmark to landmark, solve a riddle at each one by looking closely at what is in front of you, and unlock the stories and legends behind it. Flat streets along the Saône and across the Presqu'île make the 4.1 km easy going, around 52 minutes on foot between 10 stops, and the whole game, riddles and stories included, takes roughly 2 hours from whenever you set off.
Highlights include the vast Place Bellecour, the medieval lanes of Vieux Lyon with Saint-Jean Cathedral and the Temple du Change, the giant painted Fresque des Lyonnais and Place des Terreaux with the town hall and the Bartholdi Fountain. The route stays on the flat ground of the Presqu'île and the Saône banks, so it is easy on foot.
- Durationabout 2 hours
- Walkingabout 52 min · 4.1 km
- Stops10
- LanguagesEnglish, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Dutch
Riddles between the Presqu'île and Vieux Lyon
Medallions, a painted crowd and four rearing horses
Every one of the 10 stops sets a riddle you solve on the spot: the hundreds of small carved medallions framing the portals of Saint-Jean Cathedral, the famous Lyonnais looking out of painted windows on the Fresque des Lyonnais, the woman driving four rearing horses on the Bartholdi Fountain. Sharp eyes do the work, not history books.
Silk merchants, bankers and a little prince
Each answer unlocks a piece of Lyon's past: the silk industry that made the city famous across Europe, the merchants who settled their accounts at the Temple du Change during the Renaissance fairs, the bridges blown up in 1944, and Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, born here in 1900, standing on his column with the Little Prince. Let the audio narration tell the stories while you look across the Saône.
From Ainay to the Terreaux without a single hill
Walking comes to around 52 minutes over 4.1 km: north from Ainay to Place Bellecour, across the Pont Bonaparte into Vieux Lyon, along the Saône quays to the mural and back over to the Terreaux and Saint-Nizier. Google Maps leads you from stop to stop, through the narrow lanes of the old town as well.
A bouchon lunch and a peek into a traboule
Nothing runs against the clock, so stop for lunch in a bouchon, Lyon's traditional bistro, look into one of the covered traboule passages of Vieux Lyon when its door is open, follow the app's tips to a praline tart and finish later or another day.
See the route and attractions →
How it works
- Book online Choose the number of players. Your booking reference arrives by email straight away.
- Get the app Download the World City Trail app from the App Store or Google Play and enter your booking reference.
- Play when you like Start whenever you are ready, walk at your own pace and pause any time. No guide, no fixed schedule.
Food lovers, families and teams in Lyon
Food lovers between two meals
Lyon is famous for its cooking, and about 2 hours of riddles fit neatly between a late breakfast and lunch in a bouchon. The finish at Saint-Nizier leaves you in the shopping streets of the Presqu'île.
Children and the Little Prince
Kids enjoy finding the Little Prince twice, on the column at Bellecour and on the Fresque des Lyonnais, spotting the Lumière brothers among the painted faces and counting the horses of the Bartholdi Fountain. A grown-up goes along with every young team, from Bellecour to the Terreaux.
Teams after a meeting in Lyon
Teams of up to 5, each player on their own phone, set off from the Musée des Tissus and meet again at Saint-Nizier, a few steps from the cafés of the Presqu'île. All 10 stops are on public squares, quays and streets, so the organising ends with one ticket per player.
Good to know
- Bring a charged smartphone with mobile data; a power bank helps.
- No entry tickets needed: everything happens outside the buildings. Going inside is optional and paid separately.
- Family friendly; children must be accompanied by an adult.
- Not suitable for wheelchair users and difficult with strollers.
- Teams of up to 5 work best; bigger groups split into several teams, one ticket per player.
- Every purchase helps support stray cats and dogs in Greece.
The route: from the Musée des Tissus via Vieux Lyon and the Fresque to Saint-Nizier
10 stops · about 52 min walking · start: Musée des Tissus · finish: Saint-Nizier Church
The hunt starts at the Musée des Tissus in the Ainay district and heads north to Place Bellecour. You cross the Saône on the Pont Bonaparte into Vieux Lyon, visit Saint-Georges Church, Saint-Jean Cathedral and the Temple du Change, then follow the river to the Fresque des Lyonnais. You visit the Hôtel de Ville and then Place des Terreaux with its Bartholdi Fountain, and you finish at Saint-Nizier Church. From the textile museum to the cathedral, every riddle is read from the pavement, so you never need an admission ticket, and if Vieux Lyon or the Terreaux suits you better as a beginning, the app shifts the start there and reorders the rest.
Open the route map ↗
1Musée des TissusStart
Lyon's textile museum occupies the Hôtel de Villeroy, an 18th-century mansion in the Ainay district. It was founded in the 19th century by the city's Chamber of Commerce to showcase the silk industry that made Lyon famous across Europe. Its collections span centuries of woven fabrics, from ancient Egypt to French silks.
2Place Bellecour
Place Bellecour is one of the largest open squares in Europe, covered in reddish gravel. In the middle rides Louis XIV, an equestrian statue by François-Frédéric Lemot unveiled in 1825 to replace one destroyed during the Revolution. Nearby, a column carries Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, born in Lyon in 1900, with the Little Prince.
Read the full story →
3Pont Bonaparte
This bridge crosses the Saône between Place Bellecour and Vieux Lyon and bears Napoleon's family name. The present bridge was built after the Second World War, when retreating German troops blew up most of Lyon's bridges in 1944. Stop midway for a view of Fourvière hill and its white basilica above the old town.
Read the full story →
4Saint-Georges Church
The Église Saint-Georges stands on the Saône quay at the southern end of Vieux Lyon. It was rebuilt in neo-Gothic style in the 1840s by Pierre Bossan, the architect who later designed the Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourvière. Look up at its slender stone spire, a landmark when seen from the river.
5Saint-Jean Cathedral
Lyon's Cathedral of St John the Baptist was built between the late 12th and the late 15th century, so its Romanesque choir and Gothic façade show the change of styles. Its archbishop holds the title Primate of the Gauls. Look closely at the portals, framed by hundreds of small carved stone medallions.
Read the full story →
6Temple du Change
This building on Place du Change was the exchange where merchants and bankers settled their accounts during Lyon's great Renaissance fairs. Jacques-Germain Soufflot, later the architect of the Panthéon in Paris, rebuilt it in the mid-18th century. Since the early 19th century it has served as a Protestant church, which is why it is called a temple.
7Fresque des Lyonnais
This trompe-l'œil mural covers a whole building on the corner of Quai Saint-Vincent and was painted in the mid-1990s by the CitéCréation collective. Around thirty famous people from Lyon look out from its painted windows and balconies, from the Lumière brothers to the chef Paul Bocuse. Look for Antoine de Saint-Exupéry with the Little Prince.
Read the full story →
8Hôtel de Ville de Lyon
Lyon's town hall closes the east side of Place des Terreaux and was built in the mid-17th century to designs by Simon Maupin. After a fire its façade was remodelled by Jules Hardouin-Mansart and Robert de Cotte, and a relief of King Henri IV on horseback crowns the entrance. On the square stands the Bartholdi Fountain, by the sculptor of the Statue of Liberty.
9Place des Terreaux
Place des Terreaux takes its name from the earth used to fill in an old moat that once ran here between the Rhône and the Saône. The town hall closes its east side and the Musée des Beaux-Arts, in a former abbey, its south side. The Bartholdi Fountain shows a woman driving a chariot pulled by four rearing horses.
Read the full story →
10Saint-Nizier ChurchFinish
The Church of Saint-Nizier, in the middle of the Presqu'île, is named after Nizier, a 6th-century bishop of Lyon. The Gothic building was raised from the 14th century onwards and completed much later. Compare its two spires: they were built centuries apart, the northern one in the Middle Ages and the southern one only in the 19th century.
Read the full story →
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India –
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United States –
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adèle– France –
Collected on GetYourGuide
vraiment super chouette, tout à pied et proximité, pas de limite de temps c’était génial
Louise– United Kingdom –
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MIREYA PEREZ– Spain –
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Nos hemos divertido mucho buscando y resolviendo los acertijos
Melanie– France –
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United Kingdom –
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Shahinez– France –
Collected on GetYourGuide
C’est une façon ludique et agréable de découvrir Lyon à pied. La liberté de s’arrêter sur un lieu plus longtemps ou se poser dans un endroit se rafraîchir était très confortable et agréable. Flâner dans les boutiques sur le retour sans se presser, top. Nous avons découvert un petit lieu nommé « La limonade de Marinette » voyage dans notre enfance avec nos enfants, une belle expérience, qu’ils ont beaucoup apprécié. Je le conseille vivement !
Jonas– Germany –
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Es war sehr amüsant, ein Rätsel jedoch war sprachlich falsch übersetzt.
LAHOCHE– France –
Collected on GetYourGuide
c’était sympa
France –
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Marie-Pier– France –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Très bel itinéraire présenté pour faire la visite de Lyon à notre rythme. Les énigmes étaient amusantes et on n’a pas eu à se casser trop la tête. On est en vacances après tout!!
Caroline– United Kingdom –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Great fun. Saw new places and interesting things. Some of the destinations were closed, so we had to guess at the quiz answers.
France –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Bien pour faire une balade en ville mais ?nigmes trop simples et quelques erreurs de traduction dans les descriptifs de la ville.
Coralie– France –
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Le parcours est assez sympa car il fait voir des jolis lieux ou des lieux iconiques de la ville, mais nous avons trouv? les ?nigmes compl?tement tir?es par les cheveux, et les textes explicatifs sans queue ni t?te. Heureusement le tarif est bas, mais pour un challenge intellectuel qui tienne la route passez votre chemin.
Aidan– Australia –
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was a nice way to see the sights and learn about Lyons history
Meta– Belgium –
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tres
Pinto– France –
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De se balader tout en r?solvant des ?nigmes. Le premier lieu ?tait ferm?
Italy –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Attivit? ben pensata e davvero bella e divertente . La riprender? per altre citt?. Ti fa scoprire cose anche fuori dai classici giri turistici
Olivieri– Switzerland –
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Je ne peu pas trop donner mon avis. Mon portable ?tant tomb? en panne de batterie apr?s deux adresses (2 postes). J’aurai du ?tre plus attentif a ce probl?me d’autonomie. Sinon nous avons pass? un tr?s bon week-end dans la ville de Lyon.
France –
Collected on GetYourGuide
L’activit? est sympas mais malheureusement le mus?e ?tait ferm? et la statut en r?novation. Donc vous devriez essayer de mettre ? jour votre guide de temps en temps pour pr?venir.
Nicolas– France –
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Pour une premi?re fois, cela reste tr?s ludique et accessible A faire en couple ou en famille !
Switzerland –
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Viele Stationen im Umbau und nicht zug?nglich.
Spain –
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?tima op??o de tour pela cidade com crian?as. Como uma ca?a ao tesouro.
France –
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Ca occupe un moment, mais ce n’est pas d’une super qualit?.
Canada –
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It’s a great to get around efficiently and see some of the great sights in Lyon. Some of the scavenger hunts riddles and questions are a little bit to ambiguous so trying to get the answer is tough, also not having wifi constantly or a data plan does make using the app difficult. Still if you get to Lyon and don’t have a plan for getting around this is definitely a cheap easy way to make the most out of a couple hours!
Marie Odile –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Parcours tr?s interessant qui permet de d?couvrir la ville ? son rythme, les explications sont tr?s bien faites ainsi que les enigmes ? r?soudre, nous avons tous ador?s
Germany –
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Mir haben die R?tsel am Besten gefallen, die Informationen auf dem Weg h?tten mich besser zugeordnet sein k?nnen. Wir wussten oft nicht, warum wir entsprechende Informationen erhielten, zumal wir auch nicht an allen beschriebenen Sehensw?rdigkeiten (z.B. ?le de barbe) vorbei gekommen sind
Adela– Spain –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Una forma muy curiosa de descubrir la ciudad y su historia
United Kingdom –
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Very informative, fun and saw a lot of Lyon. Great way to see Lyon. We had one attraction under restoration but we’re still able to get the answer!
Wanda– Australia –
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It was difficult to start the activity, good information on the different places but too much for kids to listed to
Pascaline– Germany –
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Super la visite etait bien faite
Germany –
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Leider waren die deutschen Texte schwer verst?ndlich und die Aufgaben manchmal verwirrend formuliert. Das hat das Erlebnis leider geschm?lert. Die Idee, zu Fu? einige Sehensw?rdigkeiten der Stadt zu erkunden, und auch etwas ?ber die Geschichte zu erfahren ist aber sehr toll!
France –
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Une excellente id?e. Cette chasse au tr?sor et visite guid?e de Lyon nous a permis de d?couvrir cette ville magnifique tout en nous cultivant. Nous l’avons fait en famille avec une adolescente de 14 ans. Nous le recommandons fortement.
France –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Tr?s bon moment m?me en connaissant la ville de Lyon. Juste le d?marrage de l’activit? qui n’est pas bien expliqu?e ! Le chat nous a permis de d?bloquer la situation
Bermuda –
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Answers to clues required exactly the same wording and hence we were marked incorrect if we put same place with a couple of additional descriptive words Or if one put fewer words about same name Quite far to walk in between clues and my children lost interest
Greece –
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My friend loved that gift !
coralie– France –
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Gr?ce ? cette chasse aux tr?sors nous avons pu approfondir des ruelles, lieu atypique.
France –
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Cool
France –
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Nous avons fait le jeu de piste avec mon mari sur t?l?phone, ce qui est bien c’est que nous avons pu commencer ? l’heure que nous souhaitions et que le jeu a le m?rite d’exister. Cependant, la voix googlis? nous a vite donn? envie de tout lire (pas tr?s intuitif du coup), et le jeu ne prend pas en compte des travaux dans la ville (statue Louis XIV non accessible), ?glise ferm?e (?), Et parfois les ?nigmes n’avaient pas de sens ou ?taient trop simples. Dommage de ne nous faire passer par le vieux Lyon, alors que le soir nous sommes all?s dans la ville et qu’il y avait d’autres choses ? visiter comme l’op?ra par exemple. Je comprends que le temps de 2 heures soit limit? mais cela n’est pas pr?cis? que nous ne ferons que les lieux historiques. Merci toutefois de votre r?activit? face ? notre question du matin! Bonne journ?e et j’esp?re que nos commentaires ont pu ?tre utiles 🙂
France –
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Sympathique en famille. Pas toujours ?vident de comprendre ce qui est demand?. Nous avions pr?vu environ 2h mais malheureusement nous n’avons pas eu le temps de terminer car nous avions une autre activit? de pr?vu. Les sites visit?s sont tr?s jolis et ? voir. Ma fille de 11 ans n’a pas ?t? tr?s impliqu?e elle n’a pas su s’int?resser aux ?nigmes trop compliqu?es pour elle.
Australia –
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This was fun and we were able to go at our own pace and enjoy the town. We saw lots of Lyon we would potentially have missed
France –
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My husband and I have lived in Lyon for 34 years and yet discovered some things we never knew about our city. We had a delightful time, figuring out the clues which were not all that easy and following the trail around our beloved city to some off the beaten path areas that led to many adventures, including discovering a little Irish pub, with some excellent beer that we didn’t even know existed. We highly recommend this tour and have already told many friends about it.
Germany –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Es hat viel Spa? gemacht, man konnte die Stadt sch?n erkunden und hat (fast) alle wichtigen Sehensw?rdigkeiten gesehen. Die Texte waren teilweise etwas verwirrend geschrieben, das hat dem Ganzen aber nicht gest?rt!
Israel –
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Great tour around the city, nice and simple riddles!
Magali– France –
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r?fl?chissez bien et vous trouverais fais avec 3 enfants de 13 ans 7ans1/2 et 9ans1/2
France –
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Tr?s sympa.
jocode –
Very nice city ! We explored in in a different way and this was a first! Thank you!