Lyon travel guide - where to stay, what to do, and where to eat in Lyon, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France.
Lyon offers jazz cellars, pubs, wine bars, barge bars on the Rhone and large venues for concerts and club nights.
Nightlife districts
Where the action happens after dark.
Presqu'ile (Terreaux, Rue Merciere, Bellecour)
Rue Merciere in the Presqu'ile and the lanes around Place des Terreaux are the classic central go-out streets, with the Hot Club de Lyon jazz cellar nearby.
Best for: Bar hopping, jazz, late dinners
Vieux Lyon (Rue Saint-Jean, Rue Lainerie)
Pubs like The Smoking Dog and the courtyard bar of the Cour des Loges sit in the old quarter on the Saone, within walking distance of the Vieux Lyon metro station.
Best for: Pubs, cocktails in historic buildings
Croix-Rousse and Pentes
The slopes of the Croix-Rousse and Rue Sainte-Catherine have wine bars, student bars and small music cafes.
Best for: Wine bars, local crowd, cheaper drinks
Rhone and Saone riverbanks (Berges du Rhone, Quai Augagneur)
Moored barges and quayside bars line the Rhone left bank, with summer outdoor evenings and DJ sets.
Best for: Warm-weather evenings, DJ sets
Confluence and Gerland
The Confluence district hosts Le Sucre on top of La Sucriere; Gerland houses the Ninkasi brewery and its Kao concert room.
Best for: Dancing, concerts, brewery bars
Bars & pubs
Where locals drink.
The Smoking Dog
Long-running pub in a vaulted Vieux Lyon building, popular with students, expatriates and visitors.
Known for: English-style pub with beer, whisky and cocktails in a Renaissance-quarter cellar
16 Rue Lainerie, 69005 Lyon
Hot Club de Lyon
One of the oldest jazz clubs in Europe, in a stone cellar near Place des Terreaux, with live concerts several nights a week.
Known for: Jazz club in a vaulted cellar, founded 1948
26 Rue Lanterne, 69001 Lyon
Le Peri'scope
Small club near Perrache station programming jazz, improvised and world music.
Known for: Jazz and experimental music club with a bar
13 Rue Delandine, 69002 Lyon
Le Marche Gare
Cooperative music venue near Perrache with a bar and a programme of local and touring bands.
Known for: Live-music venue and bar with concerts by emerging acts
34 Rue Casimir Perier, 69002 Lyon
Le Sirius
Barge bar moored on the left bank of the Rhone, popular for summer evenings by the water.
Known for: Moored barge bar with a terrace on the Rhone, DJ nights and concerts
4 Quai Augagneur, 69003 Lyon
La Cave des Voyageurs
Neighbourhood wine bar on the Croix-Rousse slopes, with a changing list of wines by the glass.
Known for: Wine bar with small plates and occasional concerts
7 Rue Dumenge, 69004 Lyon
Mama Shelter Lyon (rooftop bar)
Hotel bar open to non-guests, with cocktails and a terrace on the roof.
Known for: Hotel rooftop bar with cocktails, DJ evenings and city views
13 Rue Domer, 69007 Lyon
Cour des Loges Bar
Upscale hotel bar in the Vieux Lyon courtyard, a quiet alternative to the busy pubs on Rue Saint-Jean.
Known for: Hotel bar in four Renaissance houses, cocktails and wine in a glass-roofed courtyard
6 Rue du Boeuf, 69005 Lyon
Clubs
For dancing into the early hours.
Le Sucre
Rooftop club on the roof of the former sugar warehouse La Sucriere in the Confluence district, with electronic DJ nights and views of the Saone.
Cover: Ticket price varies by event; buy online on le-sucre.eu (typically about €10-25, ~$11.20-28)
Hours: Club and concert nights, usually Thursday to Saturday after about 11PM; programme and tickets on le-sucre.eu
Ninkasi Kao (Ninkasi Gerland)
Lyon-born brewery group with a big venue in Gerland combining a brewery-restaurant, bar and the Kao concert room.
Cover: Concerts ticketed per event; check ninkasi.fr
Hours: Brewery-bar open daily from late afternoon; concert and club nights per programme on ninkasi.fr
Le Transbordeur
Established concert hall in Villeurbanne, a short tram or metro ride from the centre, hosting touring bands and club nights.
Cover: Ticket price per event, bought online on transbordeur.fr
Hours: Event nights only; doors usually about 7PM-8PM for concerts, club nights later; tickets on transbordeur.fr
Nightlife tips
Stay safe and have fun.
Most venues warm up after midnight — earlier arrivals get easier entry and shorter queues.
Carry ID, even if you look older — bouncers check at most venues.
Plan your ride home before you go out — last transport runs earlier than the clubs close.