Port guide: Lyon, France

Less hurried and more laid-back than Paris, this gastronomic capital with two riverfronts is one of the most enjoyable cities in France.

Who goes there Lyon is a main port of call on what companies call Rhone cruises or Burgundy and Provence cruises. Ships ply both the Rhone and (on some itineraries) a small section of the Saone, beginning in Lyon or Chalon and ending in Avignon or Arles. This is a European cruise staple for most mainstream companies, among them AmaWaterways, Avalon, CroisiEurope, Emerald, Scenic, Tauck, Travelmarvel and Viking.

Sail on in The joy of river cruising is that scenery floats past most of the time, and the arrival in and out of Lyon – on both the Rhone and Saone rivers that meet there – is a fine example. You drift past country villas, low hills and paddling swans before the city starts to build up, then dock amid grand 19th-century mansions and medieval churches topped by Lyon’s hilltop basilica.

Berth rites As nearly always with river cruises you won’t find a terminal, with most ships docking downtown along Quai Claude Bernard on the east bank of the Rhone River. However, some ships might dock on the Saone. Either way, you’re a walk from the whole city centre and its sights.

Going ashore Start on Fourviere hillside, which has a well-preserved Roman amphitheatre and huge basilica glittering with glorious Byzantine-style mosaics. Flights of steps bring you downhill into the World Heritage-listed St Jean district, which combines French Gothic and Italian Renaissance architecture. Adjacent St Georges is a quieter section of the old town. Then head across the Saone and Rhone rivers to the newer part of town for the Musee des Beaux-Arts, which has the biggest collection of Impressionists outside Paris and interesting Etruscan, Persian and Sumerian art.

Don’t miss The pointy part of Presqu’Ile where Lyon’s two rivers meet. The revamped former manufacturing district shows off the latest architecture in lime-green and orange. A former sugar factory is now a centre for art exhibitions and concerts, and at weekends transforms itself into a nightclub. Musee des Confluences – housed in a weirdly angled, ultra-cool building that looks like a heap of scrap metal – explores the intersection between science and the humanities, delving into everything from the Big Bang to the human brain by way to Peruvian mummies, moon rocks and African masks.

Get active Rent a bike and cycle upriver to vast Parc de la Tete d’Or, France’s largest public park, with its wandering deer and strutting flamingos. You can enjoy an unexpected pedal past the giraffes of the zoo and visit glasshouses and botanical gardens. If you follow the Rhine riverbank you can cycle all the way to Parc de Gerland opposite Musee des Confluences, which has many sports facilities.

Best bites Lyon is the gastronomic capital of France, where chefs train and everyone comes to dine in Michelin-star restaurants or informal eateries known as bouchons, which serve traditional dishes such as creamed pike, dumplings, roast pork and sausages. Legendary French dish coq au vin (chicken stewed in red wine) originated in Lyon. You’re close to the Beaujolais wine region, notable for red wine varieties, especially fruity Gamay. Meanwhile just down the Rhone River is another legendary wine region, Cotes du Rhone, which counts Chateauneuf-du-Pape and Hermitage among its most famous drops.

Further afield Most shore excursions stick to various walking tours of Lyon, with some themed on topics such as silk manufacturing. River ships generally relocate to visit nearby attractions. However, you might be offered a tour into Beaujolais wine country to visit cellar doors, villages, and perhaps a chateau or truffle farm.