La Croix Rousse Private Tour - Silk & Traboules

Your exploration begins at the Wall of the Silk Workers, a monumental fresco and the largest one of its kind in Europe, depicting the heritage of the silk workers of Lyon and the residents of La Croix-Rousse. As you begin your descent into the neighborhood with your local guide, there’ll be a chance to admire panoramic views to the South and to the West, where on a clear day the tip of Mont Blanc can be seen in the distance. In the picturesque streets that descend steeply down into Lyon, you’ll discover the history of the silk workshops, a feature of Lyon since the 16th Century which numbered over 5000 at the industry’s peak.

As you descend the Pentes des la Croix-Rousse - the hill on which the former silk workshops still stand, you’ll explore the secret passageways known as traboules, once loud with the clicking and clacking of the silk looms. Offering an insight into Lyon dating back 2000 years, you’ll discover a Roman amphitheatre where the first Christians of Europe were brutally murdered by the Romans. The tour draws to a close on the banks of the Saône River, at the famous Fresque des Lyonnais Célèbres - a giant mural celebrating the most famous residents of Lyon past and present.