Private Walking Tours in Lyon — Traboules, UNESCO Heritage & Hidden Courtyards

Most visitors walk past Lyon's hidden passages without ever noticing them.


  • Private walking tours through Lyon's hidden passages, UNESCO heritage, and secret courtyards.
  • 15–20 traboules per tour. Exclusive access to passages closed to the public. Licensed guide-conférencier. Flat rate per group. 2 to 3.5 hours.
  • ★ 698 five-star reviews across Viator, GetYourGuide, Airbnb & TripAdvisor


Curated private walking experiences with a licensed local guide


✔ 100% private – price per group 

✔ Licensed local guide 

✔ No crowds · no scripts 

✔ Secure booking · instant confirmation 


Inside Lyon's Traboules

A short visual preview filmed inside several traboules of Vieux Lyon

Want to understand the history and role of Lyon's traboules?


Which private walking tour is right for you?



UNESCO Lyon Private Walking Tour — 2.5 hours | €270 per group

Ideal if it's your first time in Lyon


Lyon's Old Town is one of the largest Renaissance districts in Europe and a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1998. This private tour covers 2,000 years of history in a single walk — from Roman theatres to medieval streets to the silk trade that made Lyon rich.

Starting in front of the Cathédrale Saint-Jean, the route climbs to Fourvière hill for panoramic views and the Roman amphitheatres, then descends through the Renaissance courtyards and traboules of Vieux Lyon, with time on the Presqu'île depending on your group's pace and interests.

The focus is on understanding how the city was built and why — not just seeing the landmarks. Didac adapts the route, the stories, and the pace based on what your group responds to.


Duration: 2.5 hours Price: €270 flat rate per group (not per person) Group size: Up to 12 guests Meeting point: In front of Cathédrale Saint-Jean, Vieux Lyon Languages: English, French, Spanish Includes: Private guide, Fourvière hill, Roman theatres, UNESCO Old Town, selected traboules Ideal for: First-time visitors to Lyon







Already familiar with Lyon? Focus on traboules and hidden courtyards :


Private Traboules Walking Tour in Lyon — 2 hours | €250 per group

Impossible to explore this in your own


Lyon has over 500 traboules — hidden passages cutting through buildings, originally used by silk workers to transport fabric downhill without exposing it to rain. Most visitors walk past them. On this tour, you walk through 15 to 20 of them.

Starting at Place de la Croix-Rousse in front of the Jacquard statue, the route descends through three distinct neighbourhoods: the silk workers' quarter of Croix-Rousse, the Presqu'île peninsula, and the Renaissance streets of Vieux Lyon. Along the way, you'll enter two traboules that are normally closed to the public — accessible exclusively through this tour.

This is not a highlights walk. It's a route built around the passages themselves and the stories inside them: WWII Resistance networks that used traboules as escape routes, the Arêtes de Poisson — a medieval passageway shaped like a fishbone — and a visit Brochier Soieries, a traditional silk workshop on Rue Romarin that has been weaving since the 19th century.


Duration: 2 hours Price: €250 flat rate per group (not per person) Group size: Up to 12 guests Meeting point: Place de la Croix-Rousse, in front of the Jacquard statue Languages: English, French, Spanish Includes: Private guide, 15–20 traboules, 2 exclusive-access passages, visit to a working silk workshop

WHY THIS IS DIFFERENT

What you won't get on a group tour

Group tours in Lyon follow the same route, on a schedule, with 20–30 people wearing headsets. They stop at the same five landmarks, spend 90 minutes, and move on. The traboules they show — if any — are the two or three that appear in every guidebook.

This is a private tour with a licensed guide who has spent over a decade walking these streets. The route changes based on your group. The stories go deeper — WWII Resistance history, the economics of the silk trade, architectural details that only make sense when someone points them out. You enter passages that are locked to the public. You visit a silk workshop that has been operating since the 19th century. And you walk at your own pace, with time to stop, ask questions, and look up.

The difference is not luxury. It's access and depth.


WHAT GUESTS SAY
  • "The best tour I've ever done. Didac is incredibly knowledgeable and passionate about Lyon and everything it has to offer — art, culture, history, music, gastronomy and wine. An absolute pleasure." — Emily, United Kingdom
  • "Didac adapted our tour to our taste and covered so much ground in just a few hours. We felt like we knew Lyon intimately after our visit. 10/10." — TripAdvisor review
  • "An incredible tour with cultural information you won't find anywhere else." — Arthur, Brazil
  • ★ 698 five-star reviews across Viator, GetYourGuide, Airbnb Experiences & TripAdvisor


YOUR GUIDE

Didac Trave Martos is a licensed guide-conférencier — the highest guiding certification in France — and the founder of Unique Tours Lyon. Originally from Catalunya, he has lived in Lyon for over a decade and leads every walking tour personally.

His background is unusual for a tour guide: 25 years in underground music culture, a personal archive of over 2,000 vinyl records, co-founder of a music festival, and a deep research practice in urban history. This means his tours don't follow a textbook. They draw on architecture, social history, music, food culture, and the kind of local knowledge that only comes from years of living in a city — not studying it from the outside.

Over 50% of guests come from the United States, but the tours regularly welcome travellers from across Europe, South America, Asia, and beyond.






 FAQ


  • How many traboules will we see?

    Between 15 and 20, depending on the tour and route. This includes two traboules with exclusive access that are normally closed to the public.


  • Is it worth €250 for a walking tour?

    This is one of the most common questions we hear — and the best answer comes from guests who asked it themselves. Two architects from Zurich told us it was the first time they'd ever paid this much for a tour, and that it was absolutely worth it. The difference is what you get: 15–20 traboules including exclusive access, a visit to a working silk workshop, WWII Resistance history, and a private licensed guide who adapts everything to your group. This is not a tour you can replicate with a guidebook.

  • Is this a private tour?

    Yes. All walking tours are 100% private. The price is per group, not per person. You'll never be mixed with other travellers.


  • What's the difference between the Traboules tour and the UNESCO tour?

    The Traboules tour (2h) focuses specifically on hidden passages, the silk workers' history, and the WWII Resistance — starting from Croix-Rousse and descending through three neighbourhoods. The UNESCO tour (2.5h) is a broader introduction to Lyon's 2,000-year history, starting from the cathedral and covering Fourvière, Vieux Lyon, and the Renaissance district. Both include traboules.


  • Which tour is best for a first visit to Lyon?

    The UNESCO tour gives the most complete overview. If you've already seen Lyon's main landmarks and want to go deeper into the hidden side, choose the Traboules tour.


  • How do I book?

    Book directly on this page using the booking calendar below, or contact Didac atcontact@uniquetourslyon.comto arrange a custom date and time.


  • Can you adapt the route to our interests?

    Yes. Every tour is adjusted based on your group's pace, curiosity, and preferences — whether that's architecture, food, history, or simply finding places you'd never discover alone.


  • What about rain?

    The tours operate in all weather. Traboules are covered passages, so much of the route is sheltered. The silk workshop visit is indoors.


  • Can I combine this with other experiences?

    Yes. Many guests book a walking tour alongside a Music & Wine tour or a private pedicab tour. Contact us to plan a multi-day itinerary.