France · Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes · Lyon
Lyon 01, Lyon — Area Guide & Where to Stay
The 1st arrondissement of Lyon climbs from Place des Terreaux up the slope of the Croix-Rousse, a district of museums between the Rhône and the Saône.
About Lyon 01
Where to stay in Lyon 01
The right area depends on your trip — here's what each neighbourhood is best for.
The 1st arrondissement gathers its lodging around Place des Terreaux and the lower slope of the Croix-Rousse. Rooms near the Museum of Fine Arts of Lyon put the square's fountains and cafés at the door, with the northern Presqu'île streets running down toward the Saône. Stay low for the museums.
Higher up, the stepped lanes climbing toward the Croix-Rousse suit walkers who want the old silk-weaver quarter and its quieter courtyards, a steep but rewarding base above the two rivers.
About Lyon 01
What are the main landmarks in Lyon 01?
The 1st arrondissement of Lyon centres its landmarks on Place des Terreaux. The Museum of Fine Arts of Lyon fills a former abbey on the square, while the Église Saint-Pierre-des-Terreaux de Lyon stands against its flank. Print and memory sit close by.
The Musée de l'Imprimerie et de la Communication Graphique keeps the city's printing history, and the Lyon Armenian Genocide Memorial marks a quieter corner. Up the slope, the Monument aux Grands Hommes de la Martinière and the Colonne du Méridien punctuate the climb toward the Croix-Rousse.
What is the history of Lyon 01?
The 1st arrondissement rose on the northern Presqu'île below the Croix-Rousse, where the silk canuts kept their looms on the slope. Its lower ground around Place des Terreaux held convents and civic buildings, and the Museum of Fine Arts of Lyon now occupies one former abbey. Weavers worked the heights.
Their trade climbed the hill above the district, threaded through the tall workshops that still line the stepped lanes. The Gadagne museums and the Musée des Hospices Civils de Lyon keep the record of that older city between the two rivers.
Where is Lyon 01?
The 1st arrondissement covers the northern Presqu'île of Lyon, rising from Place des Terreaux up the Croix-Rousse slope between the Rhône and the Saône.
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Updated July 2026