Traboules and Rue Saint-Jean

Rue Saint-Jean is the main pedestrian street of Vieux Lyon, in the 5th arrondissement of Lyon in France's Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, and the entrance point for many of the traboules, the covered passageways that run through buildings and link streets and courtyards. The old town is part of Lyon's UNESCO World Heritage-listed historic site, and its Renaissance houses, spiral staircases and vaulted corridors provide a rich set of frames for photographers. Along the street, the narrow, colourful facades create strong lines and depth, while the traboules provide contrasts between dim vaulted passages and bright inner courtyards. A fast prime such as a 35mm or 50mm f/1.8 helps in the low light of the passages, and a 24-70mm covers street scenes and courtyards. Early morning before the crowds is the best time, as the street is nearly empty and soft light reaches the facades; later in the day, tourist groups fill the street and make clean compositions hard. Overcast conditions are helpful because they soften the contrast between the bright courtyards and dark corridors. Many traboules are in private residential buildings, so access depends on the doors being open, and visitors are expected to be quiet, keep to the passage and respect residents; some traboules are marked as open to the public during the day. No fee is charged for the street, and organised visits are available through the tourist office. Tripods are impractical in the narrow passages and may be inappropriate in residential courtyards, so handheld shooting at higher ISO is the usual approach. Drones are heavily restricted in the protected historic centre. Saint-Jean metro station lies at the street's entrance, with cafes, water and restrooms along the route.