Saint-Georges district view point

Savor this stunning panorama! It belongs to the city’s most breathtaking views! In front of you, you’ll see the Saint-Georges Church, marking the entrance to the neighborhood of the same name. This area was once home to the Canuts, the Lyonnais silk workers, who later settled in the Croix-Rousse district. The architect behind this magnificent structure is Pierre Bossan. This is the first church he had the opportunity to build, and reveals a stunning Gothic style. Thus, dissatisfied with the structure he had erected, he would later call it his ‘youthful mistake’. Still, today, it is one of the most appreciated churches in Lyon, embellishing the banks of the Saône with its beautiful stones from Tournus for its façade, Saint-Cyr stone for its bell tower, and Villebois stone for its foundation. Although far from the hustle and bustle of Vieux Lyon, the Saint-Georges district still includes many Renaissance-style houses, traboules, and courtyards to be discovered. Speaking of which, do you know what a traboule is ? This is the name that the Lyonnais give to all the passageways that allow them to go from one street to another, by cutting through the various buildings. To discover them, I invite you to cross the Saint-Georges footbridge, also known as the Paul-Couturier footbridge, in tribute to this Lyonnais priest who worked to unite and pacify people of Christian faith, despite the differences between its various branches. Take advantage of this crossing to look around; you’ll have a beautiful panorama of the houses lining the Saône. By the way, this bridge is affectionately nicknamed the ‘Lovers’ Footbridge’!